The Final Trace Of Innocence
by n0mdeplume
Summary: High School AU. "Avoid Cato Evans, at all cost. Don't talk to him, don't sit next to him, and if possible, don't even make eye contact with him…" Cato/Clove. Rated M for language and 'possible' lemon.
1. Prologue

**Hey guys! This is my first ever entry in here. So yeah... Hope you enjoy this story. I made this one because I don't want Cato and Clove to die. Haha. But anyway, ENJOY! :D**

* * *

"CLOVE!" Katniss shouted happily when she saw Clove at their house's front door. She ran down the stairs to greet her properly. Clove smiled at the sight. When Katniss was finally in front of Clove, she hugged her tightly. In fact, she hugged her too tightly to the point where Clove couldn't breathe anymore. Clove pulled away while gasping for air. Katniss smiled at Clove and Clove did the same.

"MOM, CLOVE'S ALREADY HERE!" Katniss yelled in order for her mother to hear. There was an unpleasant noise at the kitchen, almost likely the dishes. There was a female figure that appeared on the scene.

"Aunt Marie…" Clove said softly but loud enough for the woman to hear him. Aunt Marie smiled and ran towards her with poise. She took off the apron and placed it on one of the sofa. She hugged Clove really gently and whispered, "Welcome to your new home…"

3 weeks later…

"School's going to start next week, Clove. Are you excited?" Katniss asked. Clove looked uninterested at the subject. She just groaned answering Katniss's question. Yes, that means no. Katniss sighed and shook her head.

"Well, are you?" Clove asked Katniss. Katniss snorted as she toss the book she was holding at the table.

"Clove, seriously… You're asking me?" Katniss laughed, looking scandalized.

"I'm serious, Katniss," Clove answered with a blank face. Katniss's smile turned into a frown and shook her head. Who would be excited? Even her straight-A scholar student cousin was not even showing any interest in it.

Katniss saw Clove sighed deeply. 'I wonder what's wrong now,' Katniss thought to herself.

"You've been kind of off lately. What's bugging you, Clove?" Katniss asked. Clove sighed and shrugged.

She could still feel her heart tighten. Clove wanted to just be somewhere alone, where she could think about the things that were happening in her life. But she knew that she was stuck here, in this room, with Katniss.

She was thinking about a lot of things; Her parents, her future and her ex-boyfriend.

She blushed just by the thought of Johnny. She loved him. In fact she loved him too much that she needed to let him go. Johnny was the one who broke up with her. And it hurt her. Every now and then she had buried her broken heart somewhere no one, even she, could never ever find. But it was never enough. she was still this broken-hearted girl who only wanted to be loved.

It hurt her whenever she remembered the reason why he broke up with her. And it was also kind of funny because his reason was that "You're too fragile…" But this reason made Clove more upset. Yes she's small, fragile, but she knows that she's tough. She's strong. Looks can be deceiving, she knew that now. She was still confused and puzzled because at some point, she knew that Johnny was lying to her. That was not the only reason why he broke up with her.

Clove sighed heavily before looking at Katniss who was still waiting for an answer. Clove smiled weakly before saying, "I was just thinking about things, that's all." Katniss looked contented at Clove's answer. Katniss shrugged and smiled at Clove.

"Do you want to go out and have some good time before school starts?" Katniss asked Clove. Clove suddenly lit up and started jumping up and down. Katniss laughed at Clove before leading her the way.

'She seriously needs this…'

* * *

**A/N:** This is actually not a new fic. I just altered a few things, because this was a fic for another fandom of mine. I already wrote the first 7 chapters of it. I stopped this fic because I can't find any muse, and now I am addicted to Clato… I found my inspiration. So yeah…

This is a COMPLETE AU. Since there's no Panem, and there's no Hunger Games going on… LOL.


	2. Chapter One

"Hey, I'm home," Clove called as she entered the house, closing the newly painted wooden door behind her. The temperature outside was too much for her to handle. It was too hot. She never thought that Chicago will indirectly ruin her soft, pale and beautiful skin (that was too vain, wasn't it).

She put her cap at the table near the door as she sighed deeply. It was pleasantly cooler inside the house. She could still feel her skin burning because of the sun outside. She walked silently towards the kitchen for some hopes of drinking a fresh and cold lemonade. And her hopes were suddenly crushed when she saw her Aunt Marie drinking coffee at the table.

Clove looked at Aunt Marie with wide eyes. She was drinking coffee for god's sake! How could anyone drink coffee at this time of the day? And the temperature was big plus to it.

"So what were you up to this all afternoon?" Aunt Marie asked when she saw Clove looking at her. She raised her left eyebrow when she saw Clove looking so… Looking so wasted.

"I went looking for a job near the school and I got one. It was very frustrating because of the heat, but I managed." Clove answered right away as she took a seat. Clove tapped her fingers on the table and then stopped when she heard a weird sound.

Aunt Marie almost choked when she heard the word "job". She put the coffee aside as she looked at Clove with narrow eyes.

"Quit."

"What?"

"Quit the job."

"Wha-"

"I said quit your job."

"But-"

"I said quit the damn job, Clove! How can you possibly handle all the pressure? School's going to start tomorrow and you seriously need to focus. You need to focus, Clove. You need to maintain good grades if you want to keep your scholarship." Aunt Marie blurted out. She didn't want to scare Clove but she was a little bit too late on realizing that. Aunt Marie didn't want Clove to work because of a simple reason: The girl already had enough of life's struggles at a very young age. She wanted her to live her life. To have a normal and a happy life. She expected her to have the best time of her life and yet she was ruining it. Aunt Marie wanted Clove to understand that she was only concerned. But no, Clove was already scared.

Clove flinched and looked away. She sighed loudly with a hint of nervousness. Aunt Marie shook her head. Clove looked back at Aunt Marie before saying,

"Aunt Marie… I need the job. I need it so bad-"

"No. You're going to quit this said job right now, Clove Van Roberts. Do you understand?" But Aunt Marie interrupted her.

If there was one thing Clove learned about Marie Everdeen, it was that she always win in every argument. And when she calls you by your full name, you will have no choice but to raise the white flag.

But Clove knew that she will have the victory for this battle. Even if she needs to raise her voice to make her point clear, but of course she wouldn't do that.

She didn't want to be a burden and besides, she was used to these kind of things. She used to have four jobs back in Ireland. FOUR JOBS FOR CHRIST'S SAKE! And having only one job this year can make a really big difference.

"Aunt Marie, I need this job so badly… Okay, let's put it this way. I'll try doing the job and if it didn't work with my schedule, I'll quit. Immediately." Clove pointed out and Aunt Marie was kind of satisfied. Aunt Marie nodded with a smile on her face and decided to take the cup of coffee to the counter. Clove watched her as she washes her hands.

Aunt Marie and Clove looked at each other when they both heard the door swing open and then close. Aunt Marie took off her apron and put it on the counter while Clove stood up from her seat.

Clove saw Katniss walking towards them with an exhausted expression painted on her face. She was followed by Uncle Frank who was also wearing the same expression on his face.

Uncle Frank greeted Aunt Marie with a kiss on the lips and it made Katniss shrug with a disgust face. Clove laughed lightly and decided that it was time for her to go upstairs and get ready for school tomorrow. And she needed to give the Listing Family a quality time together.

She ran upstairs and giggled when she heard Katniss screamed, "How come Clove gets to work while I can't?"

...

Clove was calmly lying on her bed when the door of her room cracked open. And yes, it was the almighty Katniss. Clove was almost too confident that Katniss already dropped the subject of her getting a job because Katniss greeted her with a smile.

Katniss sat on the floor while Clove sat up from her bed.

"What is it now, Everdeen?" Clove asked teasingly. Katniss smiled at her.

"I'll introduce you to my friends tomorrow and I know you'll fit just perfectly," Katniss said grinning lightly. Clove returned the smile.

"That would be nice. I'm kind of nervous for tomorrow actually…"

"Don't worry. Everything will be just fine for you. But I have to warn you though. Don't stand out that much." Katniss muttered nervously.

"Stand out? What do you mean don't stand out that much?" Clove asked. She was completely puzzled by this.

"Well, there's this group of really mean kids at school who kind of control the whole student body. They seem to have fun on bullying others whom they find really amusing."

Clove smirked at her cousin's statement. Seriously, bullying was not new to her.

"CLOVE! You're not taking me seriously!" Katniss whined as Clove laughed.

"Katniss. Bullying is seriously not new to me. I get bullied at my old school and I think there's no difference here in Chicago." Clove said still laughing.

"Laugh all you want Van Roberts. I know you'll be thanking me later for warning you," Katniss told her seriously.

"Okay. And I'm not going to stand out, Katniss. I'm not even pretty. I'm really sure that these bullies will just ignore me. I'm good at acting invisible," Clove said. She didn't quite understand why her cousin is whining about the bullies in her school.

"YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL, CLOVE! You have to take me seriously or you'll be regretting your ass off," Katniss said.

Clove tapped her cousin's shoulder before saying, "I'll stick to you, okay? I'll be just fine, Katniss. Trust me."

"But promise me one thing Clove,"

Clove wanted to slap her cousin for overreacting like this but what can she do?

"Anything, Katniss."

"Avoid Cato Evans, at all cost. Don't talk to him, don't sit next to him, and if possible, don't even make eye contact with him…" Katniss looked at her very seriously.

"I doubt he'll even see me, Katniss. Whoever he is," Clove muttered.

"JUST PROMISE ME, CLOVE!" Katniss whined again and it made Clove roll her eyes.

"Alright! Now get out of my room! I need to get ready for school. Geez, Katniss, it's not like that Cato guy is going to be after my blood," Clove shooed Katniss.

When Katniss was finally outside Clove's room, she sighed heavily and looked at Clove who's about to close the door.

"Really close Clove. Real close."

...

If only Clove knew that New Trier High School looked like this, she would have dressed a bit nicer. It seemed like the students are going to attend a party rather than a class. They were that good. She looked at the groupie that was passing by and yup, she was under-dressed.

She wore a blue shirt partnered with black skinny jeans and that was just about it. She wore the unused converse her Uncle Frank bought her last week. She didn't iron her hair so it was a little bit messy but still looked good at some point. Her messenger bag hung loosely on her right shoulder, and it made her look like she was a mail delivery girl.

"Let's see… Oh that's great! We have 3 classes in common!" Katniss said excitedly. Clove took her schedule on Katniss's hands. She looked at it and made a sudden noise.

Chemistry.

Clove didn't hate Chemistry but seriously… Who wouldn't even make a weird noise when their first subject is Chemistry. And plus, Katniss had Music for her first class. 'Lucky bitch,' Clove thought to herself.

...

She arrived at her first class - Chemistry. Clove kind of hated being around strangers, especially her peers. The classroom is already half-full as she entered, and most people gazed at Clove suspiciously. After all, she's the newcomer, and this is high school. It's to be expected.

Clove could feel her cheeks burning as she sat down at an empty desk near the front of the classroom.

Because the teacher wasn't around yet, she took out her book. She started reading but then her book was now nowhere in sight. A boy with dark brown hair stood in front of her with Clove's book on his hand. Clove glared at him before noticing that the other students were laughing.

"I was calling you but you're not listening. I guess you're too busy reading this book, eh?" The brown-headed boy said with a mischievous smile painted on his face. Clove wanted to punch the guy but she couldn't. And she wouldn't.

'It's alright, Clove. You're used to this. This happens to you all the time," Clove calmly thought.

She stood up from her seat and before she knew it, her book was already passed to the boy at the back.

"What are you gonna do now, little princess?" The brown-headed guy said.

"Nice one, Marvel!" someone shouted from the back.

Marvel. Clove will surely remember this kid's name. He was already on Clove's top list and knowing his name made Clove boil.

The room was filled with laughter and insults. Clove just grunted and sat down again, knowing that her book will be gone. Forever. She needed to just cool her head and let it go.

And thank god, the teacher finally arrived.

"I'm Caithlin Higgins and I'll be teaching you chemistry this year. I've already grouped the class into pairs and I'll be announcing the lineup in a moment. As most laboratory experiments will be done by pairs, I expect team work. You are stuck with your lab partner for the rest of the year so try to get along before you blow anything up," she said holding a piece of paper with names.

Clove just sighed and looked at the floor, looking rather really really really bored.

Names were called and she swear the list was about to end and her name wasn't even called yet.

"Van Roberts…" Finally.

"Van Roberts, you're partnered up with Evans…" Clove just sighed when she heard gasps and whispers around her.

She proceeded on looking at the floor, when it struck her.

'Why do I feel like I've heard that name before?

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**Hey guys! Thanks for reading! I will update this fast because I already wrote the first 7 chapters, as mentioned in the Prologue. Hope you like this chapter :)**


	3. Chapter Two

She looked stressed, wasted and scared. She wasn't even the "Clove" Katniss knew. This was not the way Katniss planned it. It was only the first day of class and Clove already wanted to give up. It was only the third subject and Clove already looked like shit. She wondered if her cousin would survive this day.

She wondered what would happen if Clove meets Cato. That was… Just… No.

Katniss was scared for her cousin. Cato Evans is dangerous. He is simply the most dangerous form of human being known to Chicago . He's filthy rich. And whatever he wants, he gets…right away. He's like the King of New Trier High School. What he says, goes. He's like a fucking god and Katniss was so scared that Cato would target her cousin.

She remembered Cato Evans' motto: "I will not crush you. I will just take away your will to live…" It's a motto that doesn't just scare you, but gives you nightmares and chills.

There's one thing Katniss knew though… Meeting Cato Evans is SOCIAL SUICIDE. And she's not even overreacting.

Katniss would never deny the fact that Clove was a very beautiful girl. She could never deny that fact, and it scared her to death. She was concerned that Cato might find Clove interesting. And he will. Katniss knew that. That's why she warned Clove. But Clove wasn't listening to her. Even if she looked like a protective bitch, she would do anything for her cousin.

Clove wasn't talking. She wasn't even moving. Katniss's friends found Clove interesting, but Katniss told them to leave Clove alone, just for the day. Clove looked like all the world's problems are on her shoulders. She was sad. She was scared. She was not Clove.

Katniss let her cousin be. Katniss knew she needed time to adjust.

...

"Cato, I-"

"What the fuck do you want, Marvel? I'm trying to rest, asshole!" Cato shouted at his phone.

It was like heaven right smack in the middle of hell. He was high again. He was drunk and he was high. He needed rest from all the shit that's going on in his life. Parties, girls, beers and sex were nothing but a routine for him and all he wanted to do now is forget all of it and fucking rest. He was silently and calmly having his slumber but Marvel ruined it all. HE WANTED TO REST, DAMNIT! Why couldn't Marvel understand that?

"I have a gift for you. You shoul-"

"I don't need your gift. I need rest!" Cato wanted to punch Marvel right in the face for waking him up.

"You should come to school this afternoon. I need to show you something…"

"Quit playing games with me, Marvel. I need to rest! I-"

"WILL YOU JUST LISTEN TO ME FOR A SEC?" Marvel cut Cato off in mid sentence.

Cato groaned and stood up from his bed. He felt his brain spinning like a tornado inside his skull. He wanted to bang his head on the wall so badly, but why would he do that? He would ruin his pretty face doing that and he doesn't want to ruin that beauty.

"Fine. What is it?"

"Just attend school this afternoon. I'll show you. You'll surely find HER interesting…"

'What is he up to?' Cato thought, while he rubbed his temple.

"Alright. Be sure that she's worth the sacrifice I'm making right now Marvel, or else I'm going to rip your head off!" And the line went dead.

'This better be good…'

...

It was lunch time, and Clove couldn't help but hear her own stomach growling. She needed to eat, but she was too busy getting acquainted with Katniss's friends.

Annie and Finnick are Katniss' best friends in the whole world.

They were fun to be with at lunch. They were funny and talkative. They just couldn't shut their mouths and Clove was slightly amused because of it. Annie and Finnick treated Clove like they knew her all their lives, but Clove didn't mind. Katniss was right. She would fit in just fine.

"You should smile more, Clove. You look really cute when you smile…" Finnick said looking directly at Clove. Clove blushed and it made Finnick laugh.

"Stop that Finnick, you'll scare her off. Don't mind her, dear. He's always like that." Annie reassured Clove. Clove nodded with a smile on her face.

"But-"

"Shut up, Finnick. Can't you just shut your big mouth…"

"Look who's talking?"

"You're such an idiot!"

"Moron!"

"Dick!"

"At least I have one!"

"Clove, you should get used to this…" Katniss whispered to a laughing Clove. Katniss laughed along with Clove. Katniss was content. At least, Clove was having fun now.

...

Marvel handed him a picture with a smile on his face. Cato couldn't help but smile as he saw a picture of a girl with dark hair laughing with her friends. For once in his life, Cato thought that Marvel was made of pure brilliance.

"See? I told you… I was so-"

"Shut up. Who is she?"

"Clove. Clove Van Roberts," Marvel replied as he saw Cato's smile grew even wider.

"Clove Van Roberts…" Cato whispered to himself.

"Oh, and she's your lab partner…"

...

"Let's go…" Katniss started walking with her bike when she noticed that Clove wasn't following her. She turned to face Clove with a confused look on her face.

"I can't, Katniss. I need to go to work," Clove told Katniss, while she pointed at a store just a few blocks away from their school.

"Are you going to be okay? You don't have a ride. You-"

"You should really stop worrying about me. I can walk, Katniss," Clove interrupted.

"Alright. I'll just tell Mom that you're at work." Katniss replied as she hopped onto her bike, grinning. Katniss started peddling her bike as she yelled her farewell.

"Bye!" Clove shouted as Katniss vanished from her sight. Clove started walking outside their school, then she remembered that their house was pretty far from where she was standing. She sighed. 'What has gotten into me?' she thought to herself.

...

It was a pretty good day. But Chemistry was still a no-no. She was so frustrated. She didn't even know who her lab partner was. He was absent today and it kind of sucked. She had no clue who she was paired with, and she needed to know this guy. She needed to get along with him well enough to get good grades in chemistry.

"Clove Van Roberts?" An unfamiliar voice called out her name. She quickly turned around to see a boy with messy blonde hair. Whoa! He's big and muscular. And really intimidating. Clove gulped as she saw the young man standing a few feet away from her. As peculiar as Clove found the whole boy-next-door look, her attention was drawn to the boy's hands. He was holding a very familiar book. The boy examined the book from different angles with a confident smirk on his face.

Clove nervously stood there as she saw her name on the book's front page. It was hers.

"Marvel told me that you were reading this. Is this book really interesting?" The boy asked, still wearing the smirk.

Clove breathed in and out slowly. If he knew who Marvel was, this seriously can't be any good. The boy was still waiting for her answer and it only made Clove's breathing worse.

"Y-yes. It's v-very in-interesting…"

"I see. And you don't need to be so nervous. I'm not going to eat you…" The boy said with a playful smile.

"Excuse me… B-but do I kn-know you?" Clove asked with a very weak voice. Why was she so damn scared?

"No. But I do know you…" The boy replied, smiling.

"Give me back my book, p-please…" Clove pleaded the boy. The boy laughed innocently as he slowly walked towards Clove. He slowly handed the book to Clove and Clove nervously accepted it.

"I'm Cato… Cato Evans."

"You're-"

"I'm your lab partner…" Cato told Clove while taking a step forward.

Cato could smell Clove's watermelon cologne and it made him smile. Their faces were only 7 inches apart. Clove breathed in deeply. Cato leaned closer.

"Goodbye, Clove," Cato whispered to Clove's ear as he vanished into thin air.

"Cato Evans… He's- Wait. Did I just talk to Cato Evans?" And then Clove finally remembered Katniss's warning.

_"Avoid Cato Evans, at all cost. Don't talk to him, don't sit next to him, and if possible, don't even make eye contact with him…"_

'Fuck!'

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**A/N: I ran out of characters that's why I used Annie and Finnick. LOL. Reviews are very much appreciated :"**


	4. Chapter Three

Cato was late, but he didn't mind. Nothing much ever mattered to Cato, especially school. He didn't even get the logic of coming to school. He's rich, he can do anything he wants, get everything he desires.

From an early age, Cato was groomed to take over and manage the family business when he grew up. He was heir to one of the most successful businesses in Chicago. And their business was enough to feed a flock of rich bastards around Chicago for a long time to come. That's how rich they were. He just didn't get it.

He grunted as he walked down the hallway. He could hear his teacher's voice from inside the chemistry laboratory. Yes, Chemistry was a waste of time, but he knew that having Clove Van Roberts as his lab partner, this year wouldn't be nearly as boring as last year was.

As he opened the door, whispers and fangirl squeals filled the chemistry lab. Well, honestly, he kind of liked the idea of being the most popular kid in school. But it wouldn't change his mind that school was still a very shitty place.

"Oh, Mr. Evans, you're right on time. I'm explaining the activity you're going to do today." Ms. Higgins said as soon as she saw Cato step into the room. Cato sighed and nodded.

"You may sit next to Clove Van Roberts...who's currently sleeping," Ms. Higgins pointed to where Clove was. Cato smirked and walked towards the chair next to Clove.

He walked past a girl with a huge, nerdy grin on her face. Cato shrugged and ignored the girl with all his might. Cato was grossed out because seriously, that girl needs a HEAVY make over. Her face was just so rough-looking and it was too pale.

'Clove looks more beautiful...' Cato told himself. Wait…did he just say that to himself?

'What the hell is wrong with me?' Cato asked himself in surprise.

Something was wrong. Something was definitely wrong with him. After Cato met Clove yesterday afternoon, he just couldn't get Clove out of his mind. The picture Marvel gave to him was still buried in his wallet. And he did not, repeat not, keep pictures of random people in his wallet. Ever. Never ever.

Last night, he went to some social networking websites like Facebook, Twitter, etc. just to see if he typed in "Clove Van Roberts" anything would come up. But there was nothing. He even thought that maybe Clove didn't even know the internet existed.

He even dreamt about her last night. He was hopeless. He didn't even know why Clove was so damn interesting.

He silently sat down on the chair and placed his hand on Clove's shoulder. Clove stirred by the touch and mumbled something that Cato recognized as "Skittles". Cato smiled as he realized that Clove was maybe dreaming about Skittles. Who would even dream about Skittles? Oh yeah, Clove Van Roberts does. Clove woke up, then stretched her arms and yawned. Cato cleared his throat and when Clove looked at him, their eyes met. They were lost in each other's eyes like there was a big connection. It was so overwhelming and Clove was sure that her cheeks were burning. Clove realized this and quickly looked away so that she could hide her blush. She didn't want to get involved with Cato Evans. That guy simply pisses her off at some point.

"As I was saying, you will have an experiment today. You will all have to do it with your lab partner. And I expect that no one will blow up the laboratory, is that clear?" Ms. Higgins said.

Cato looked at Clove and Clove looked at Cato. Their eyes met again, but the connection they just had was gone, like some kind of wall was blocking it.

"So, I heard that you're Katniss Everdeen's cousin..." Cato started with a smile on his face. Clove looked at him with disbelief.

"How did you-"

"I know everything that's happening in this school, Clove...everything. I even know that Ms. Higgins was having an affair with the janitor here at school..." Cato whispered and Clove made a disgusted face at that last statement.

"Really?"

"Really..." Then there was silence.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" Cato finally blurted out. Clove looked at him with wide eyes. Clove smirked at the question and Cato was confused as hell. He only wanted to find out if she's available or not, what was so funny?

"You seriously think I have a boyfriend?"

"Well yeah," Cato replied.

"I don't do that kind of stuff anymore. Relationships fuck you up."

"You serious?"

"Yup."

"So you're hard to get?"

"Now? Yes. No one will ever have me. I have my standards."

"Oh... Okay," Cato replied with a straight face.

'Clove Van Roberts, I swear to everything that's holy, you will be mine.'

...

"You just what?" Katniss blurted out.

"You just didn't-" Annie gasped.

"Oh god, you're fucked." Finnick said directly to Clove.

"Jeez. Thanks guys. That's really helping me!" Clove said while playing with her food.

"Clove, please tell me you didn't just talk to Cato Evans... Please," Katniss pleaded with Clove. But it was too late. She knew that Clove already met Cato and her nightmares were becoming reality.

"I talked to him... He can't really be that bad, right? I mean, he seems really nice when I talked to him." Clove said trying to make a point, but the trio was looking at her with wide eyes.

"Oh god, you're seriously fucked. You are abso-"

"Shut up, Finnick. You're not helping her here!"

"Oh! And like you're any help to her!"

"GOD! Neither of you are helping-"

"I DON'T NEED YOUR HELP!"

The trio looked at Clove still with wide eyes. That's it. Clove had had enough.

"Guys, I can handle myself. I assure you, I'm going to be alright..." Clove said slightly begging that her friends would listen to her. But still, they continued to whine.

"Trust us Clove. Cato is like the son of Satan. He will ruin your life. But that's really quite ironic because everyone here thinks he's a god. But Clove, you need to stay away from him. But I think you can't do that anymore, since you said that he's your lab partner but-"

"So it's like God and Satan had sex and then it took a form of human being in Cato Evans." Clove pointed out.

"That, my friend, is the greatest explanation I've ever heard in my life here in New Trier ..." Annie agreed.

...

"POP QUIZ!" Their teacher in Math announced.

Groans and whines were heard in the classroom but Clove paid no attention. She was too busy to care at all. She felt like she was being watched. And yes, she was. Next to him was Cato Evans yet again.

'Are you fucking kidding me?' Clove thought.

She was so sure that Cato was following her. They have so many subjects in common. Chemistry was first and then Computer class.

Oh gosh, Computer. Clove blushed just by the memory. They sat next to each other back in Computer class and oh boy, she saw Cato watching porn in his computer. She felt so sick. Ugh.

The quiz papers were passed and Clove smirked. This was way too easy for Clove. She would be done in just a minute.

Meanwhile, Cato pulled a piece of paper out of his pants. He was going to cheat on the quiz. Well, truthfully, Cato was not really that slow-witted, but he was not that smart either. So what's the point of thinking when you got the key answers to the quiz? And yeah...he's got a lot of sources.

10 minutes later...

Cato was so confident about having a perfect score but then, with just a snap of a finger, the paper was already gone. He noticed that the answer key was lying there, next to Clove's chair and oh my god... The teacher was heading for the paper and Cato was just so fucking nervous. No, not for him, but for Clove. He looked at the Clove who was currently sleeping. The teacher got the paper and looked at it with wide eyes.

"CLOVE VAN ROBERTS!"

...

"Clove, wait... Clove, I just-"

"Shut the fuck up, Cato!" Clove snarled at Cato as she walked down the hallway. Cato followed her and he knew that this was going to end badly. Cato grabbed Clove's wrist but Clove shoved him off.

"Fuck you! You ruined my day, you ruined my week because of this fucking detention I got! And not to mention, you also ruined my spotless school record! I'm a scholar, goddamit! And now what? You want me to think that it's going to be alright? That I'm not going to lose my scholarship because of this? Well, I can't. Because I WILL LOSE IT! And it's all because of you!" Clove yelled at Cato. It was good that everyone was already gone. Clove was just so fucking tired, she needed her rest and she needed to cool her head off.

"I'm sorry..."

"Well, sorry ain't enough Cato. And it never will be!" Clove hissed.

She walked away, but Cato kept on following. Cato grabbed her wrist again and Clove had the urge to punch him.

Oh fuck tiredness and detention. She was going to have a go with this guy. Cato was practically begging for it so Clove gave it to him. One straight punch to the gut.

Cato curled clutching his middle in pain. He didn't even have the time to recover when Clove grabbed the neck of his shirt.

"Leave me the fuck alone..." She hissed then stormed away.

Cato held onto the locker as he struggled to stand up straight again.

He thought to himself, 'God, that girl says fuck in different variations when she's mad!'

* * *

**Hey guys! :) Thanks for reading this chapter. Hope you liked it :D So whatcha think about it? Was it good? Was it bad? Let me know! Reviews are highly appreciated :D**


	5. Chapter Four

"Were those painkillers?"

Cato looked at Marvel with a very annoyed look on his face. He set down the glass of water he just drank from and rolled his eyes before saying, "Yes, Marvel."

Peeta entered Cato's living room while shaking his head.

"What for?" Marvel asked, crashing down on one of the couches. Cato was at the coffee table playing with his glass of water while Peeta sat next to him.

Peeta and Marvel crashing at Cato's house was pretty much a common scene. After all, his house was the one closest to the school. Cato's parents were never home so it was always empty except for Cato and a few other people his parents hired to clean and cook.

"Seriously, Marvel?" Cato said, now completely annoyed.

"What? I was just asking!" Marvel defended himself.

Cato just sighed while wincing. He could still feel the after effects of Clove's bony fist in his stomach.

"Don't mind him, Cato. He just lost his brain after being rejected by the girl of his dreams," Peeta said smirking.

Marvel looked at Peeta with wide eyes, but he couldn't react to that...because it was actually the truth.

"So... How did it go with the new kid?" Peeta asked, taking a look at the painkillers.

"It didn't go well…" Cato began with a sigh.

"What happened?" Peeta asked again, now with concern in his voice.

Cato walked over to the couch and slowly took a seat. His abdomen still hurt like hell.

"I messed it up. I cheated on a quiz and she was the one who got in trouble. She told me that she was a scholar and said that because of it, she will lose her scholarship. She even told me to leave her alone and... Let me tell you guys, she was really mad. She was so different from the innocent-looking Van Roberts I met. It was like a really cute bunny turning into a frightening lion. She even punched me in the gut. And it fucking hurt!" Cato said while rubbing his aching stomach.

Peeta stood up from his seat and walked over to Cato and Marvel, who was sitting on the couch. Peeta patted Cato's shoulder while taking a seat.

Marvel started laughing and the other two looked at him with scandalized looks on their faces. Marvel laughed like a total maniac. Cato threw a pillow right at Marvel's face and it made Marvel laugh harder.

It took a few more seconds before Marvel was able to compose himself. "Sorry. But dude, that was a milestone! You never got punched by anyone. And got rejected at the same time!"

"HEY! I never said I got rejected!"

"Maybe not yet," Peeta butted in. Cato glared at him. He couldn't screw this up. He just couldn't.

Peeta looked at Cato and saw him sighing.

"What else happened? I know there's something more to it," Peeta pushed.

"Well, she's completely hard to get, at least that's what she told me." Cato sighed, still massaging his abdomen.

"Maybe... You should be a bit nicer, you know. Make her think that you're all soft and you actually have deep feelings for her," Peeta suggested.

"Peeta... What would I do without you?" Cato praised while offering a hug. Peeta shook his head while smiling.

"Why does he always have to be the right one?" Marvel asked, offended. Peeta looked at Marvel with a smirk.

"Well, you see, I use my brain, Marvel. And you don't."

"That's bullshit man!"

"You know what?" Cato began and both turned to his direction. "When you sent me that picture of Van Roberts, I was like 'I want to fuck her.' But now that I've met her, I'm like 'I want to fuck her so hard every fucking night until she can't walk anymore'."

"Was it really that painful, Cato?" Peeta asked.

"I can take physical pain and you know that. But that wasn't the point."

"So what's the point?" Marvel asked, totally confused.

"Don't you see, Marvel? This is what I've been waiting for, for a long time!" Cato looked at them with excitement pouring out of him.

"You've been waiting for someone hot to punch you in the gut?" Marvel asked uncertainly.

"No, you fucking idiot! A CHALLENGE, MARVEL! A freakin' challenge!" Cato answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Oh," Peeta and Marvel muttered in unison.

"It's really getting old, you know? People begging me to fuck them and all. It was all rubbish now. I want something, no... I 'NEED' something really interesting and I think Van Roberts can give me that." he told them while smirking.

"But first, I need to clean up the mess I made..."

...

Clove sat in her usual seat in Chemistry class.

She sat there in silence. She sat there with a very unpleasant look on her face. She sat there next to Cato. And it was frustrating her in every possible way.

She should hate Cato. She should hate him right now because she knew that she's already bound to lose her scholarship because of the incident yesterday. Yeah, she might have overreacted when she punched him because she never really wanted to do that. But she had no choice. She lost control of herself. She should really hate him right now, but she couldn't. She didn't know why but she just couldn't hate him.

Maybe it was because of what her parents taught her when she was a kid. Her parents taught her not to hate people just because they hurt you. She had lived with this value and she knew that she couldn't break it. Not now.

She knew that hating Cato would never do any good. And so there she was, silently hoping that the pressure she was feeling right now would just make her disappear.

Meanwhile, Cato tried to ignore the sinking feeling in his stomach that had nothing to do with the punch he received yesterday.

Chemistry was just so awkward. No, Cato was the one who felt awkward not Chemistry itself. He felt so awkward just sitting next to Clove. He never felt awkward with anyone before, so why the fuck now?

The school bell rang and the room buzzed with joy. Clove got to her feet and grabbed her messenger bag. She was heading to the door when her wrist was suddenly grabbed. She found himself being pulled to the back of the room by Cato.

Clove snatched her wrist back and hissed, "Don't touch me!" Cato let her go quickly.

"What do you want now?" Clove asked coldly.

"I just want to talk." Cato simply responded.

"About what, huh?" She needed to act as if she was still mad at him. She needed to show Cato that she was not like everyone else.

When they reached the back of the room, it was almost empty with everyone heading to the cafeteria for lunch. Clove stared at Cato impatiently.

"About the incident yesterday," Cato said. Clove looked at him with icy cold green eyes and it somehow sent a shiver down Cato's spine.

"I'm sorry about what happened and I want to make things right by you. I'll do anything, 'anything' in my power to fix this and get you to accept my apology."

"What if I tell you to clean my school record and let me keep my scholarship? Can you do that, huh?" Clove said not expecting any answer from Cato.

Clove was not expecting what happened next!

"Let's go..." Cato said grabbing Clove's wrist.

"Where?"

Clove was confused when she found herself standing outside the principal's office.

...

A short time later, the office door cracked open, revealing a very happy Cato. He had another victory, as usual.

"All done."

"What?"

"I said, it's all done. I had them clean your school record. Your scholarship will not be affected. AND you don't have to go to detention either," Cato stated with a smug smile.

Clove was thoroughly confused as to what just happened. Had she heard Cato correctly?

"What?"

"Why do look so shocked?" Cato asked Clove, who was staring at him with wide eyes.

Clove stared at him disbelievingly. "You did that?"

"Yes, I did that. I'm a man of my words, Clove. Wasn't that what you told me to do?" Cato asked smirking.

"Yeah?" Clove answered uncertainly. Cato was really unpredictable.

"Then why do you look so unsure?" Cato asked her again.

"But how did you...?" Clove asked.

"I have my ways, but…I never said I'd do it for free," Cato said mischievously.

And Clove was right. Cato was just really unpredictable.

"What?"

"I want a date," Cato told Clove.

That was it. Clove was starting to boil again. But she didn't want to punch this boy again. She was tired and she was hungry. But if Cato could flirt and get away with it, she could do it too.

Clove leaned closer to Cato with their noses almost touching.

"I told you, no one will ever have me..." Clove whispered then walked away, leaving Cato half hard.

'What the fuck is that?'

...

The day had passed in just a snap of a finger.

She didn't realize the yearbook organization and planning meeting took so long. They all lost track of the time! If it wasn't for Mrs. Parker noticing the lack of daylight, they'd all still be there!

It was already dark when Clove finally got out of the school building.

She took out her cell phone and found a message from Katniss.

_I felt really sick, so I went home early. I couldn't wait for you today. Mom and Dad are not in town. Sorry, neither one of us can pick you up. I'm really sorry. :(_

Clove pocketed her phone and continued walking. The school seemed so much different without the people and the noise, and it slightly scared Clove. She quickened his pace to the doors.

She was just a few meters away from the school when a car honked behind her. Clove turned to the car and squinted a bit to see who was driving it. It pulled over beside the pavement and Cato's face greeted her.

"Just got out?" Cato asked from the driver's seat.

"Yes," she simply answered and started to walk again. To her dismay, Cato's car was following her at a slow speed so he could keep up with her.

"Want me to drive you home?" Cato asked.

"No, thanks."

"Why not?"

"Because I seriously don't want to."

"Rape isn't my style, you know?"

Clove froze and glared at Cato. Cato just laughed.

"Seriously, it's getting darker now. And just so you know, Chicago is not exactly the safest place for some cutie like you to be walking about this late." Cato told her.

"I'll feel less safe in your car, trust me." Clove told Cato, but Cato ignored it.

Clove just rolled her eyes, walking faster.

"Don't be stubborn, Clove."

"You're the one being stubborn."

"Clove... Come on! It's just a ride. I'll follow you until you get home anyway, so just get in and this could end faster," Cato said with pleading eyes.

Clove sighed. She looked at Cato, contemplating it for a moment, and then said, "Alright."

Cato grinned and halted. Whoa! Did he just hear himself giggle?

He waited for Clove to get into the front seat. He couldn't understand why he felt so giddy. He had many other people sit in that seat before, but none of them made him feel excited like this. After closing the door, Clove fastened her seat belt before Cato could.

Cato stepped on the gas and sped off. The streets were quiet and almost empty. He tried to keep his eyes on the road but still found himself occasionally glancing in Clove's direction.

Clove had her eyes glued to the window. She watched the trees and the people walking on the sidewalks. But she could still feel Cato stealing glances in her direction. It felt uncomfortable.

Silence was the only thing they have right now. Cato didn't even dare to turn on his radio in fear of breaking the silence. Wait, what?

Clove finally looked over and got really interested in the necklace that was hanging on the car's front mirror. It was really beautiful and she had a thing for necklaces after all. She started playing with it like an innocent child. And Cato...well, Cato was trying to control himself from kissing Clove right then and there. Cato was being honest when he said rape wasn't his style, but he was definitely having second thoughts right now. Couldn't this girl see that she was so fucking adorable when she's acting like that?

"You can have it if you want," Cato said, trying to act cool.

"Really?" Clove looked at him, smiling widely with sparks in her eyes. And Cato swore that it blinded him just then. Cato looked away and nodded. If he kept on looking at Clove, he knew that he wouldn't be able to control himself anymore. She was just too cute!

"Thanks," Clove muttered while getting the necklace, giving him a small smile. Cato's grip on the steering wheel tightened.

This will surely be one hell of a ride...

* * *

**Hello there! :) How are liking this chapter? Whatcha think? Please let me know what you think :) Anyway, thank you so much for reading :D**


	6. Chapter Five

"Okay... This is it," Clove announced.

Cato pulled the car up in front of a cozy looking, white, two-story Colonial. The house was small, well at least to Cato, but the front yard looked well cared for.

The grass was thick and lush in a vivid emerald green. There was a fountain in the middle of the yard that was surrounded by very colorful flowers. There were mulch beds on either side of the front steps that housed the same range of colorful flowers that encircled the fountain.

To the left, and to the side of the house, you could see the start of a vegetable garden. Already, the vegetables were growing fast and it wouldn't be long before it would yield a bountiful harvest.

A white picket fence encircled the property and gave it that final touch to make it look like a picture out of "Home and Gardens" magazine. It was a beautiful house.

Cato furrowed his eyebrows when he realized that the house looked very familiar.

"This... This is your house?" Cato asked Clove. Clove looked at Cato with a cold look on her face.

"What? You got a problem with it?" Clove asked sarcastically. Clove was never the rude type of girl, but whenever Cato starts to open his mouth and speak, she just loses her grip. Even if she tried to control it, it just keeps getting worse.

"Uh, no... I was just confused. This is Katniss Everdeen's house, you know?" Cato defended himself immediately.

"I know, Cato. I live with Katniss." Clove stated, looking at Cato's eyes.

"What?"

"She's my cousin, Cato. Thought I should remind you," Clove said as she taps Cato on the shoulder. Cato was feeling those weird things fluttering inside his stomach again. Oh no. This seriously needs to stop.

"But why do you live in her house?"

"My parents died a year ago. Katniss's parents took me in. I was really blessed to have them. They really take good care of me..." Then there was silence. The silence was very awkward but Clove thought it was beautiful. She never had this kind of silence since she moved to Chicago . All she normally heard was noise, noise, noise. But what she and Cato have now was the thing she needed just then.

Cato also enjoyed the silence they had. It was very comforting. The silence warmed Cato's heart and it made Cato realize that he hadn't had the pleasure of just plain silence in the past 10 years. His life was a mess since his mother died. It was a complete and utter mess. Parties,beer, girls and one night stands were never a part of his mother's plans for her little boy, and Cato knew that his mother was very disappointed with him right now…wherever she was.

"I... I should get going," Clove broke the silence and it pierced Cato's ears. Cato nodded, signaling Clove that she could go now. Clove unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the door. It took Clove about 10 seconds to actually get out of the car. She took in the fresh air and closed her eyes for a second or two then closed the car's door.

Clove bent over and tapped on the car's window, signaling Cato to open it. The window slowly opened and it revealed a very happy Cato.

"Thanks for the ride and the necklace. And also for helping me keep my scholarship," Clove thanked Cato, as she held the necklace next to her chest.

"Yeah... No problem. I had to do it because it was all my fault in the first place," Cato said, trying to avoid eye contact. Whoa! Why did he just do that? Cato has NEVER been one to avoid eye contact…with anyone! People normally avoided eye contact with HIM!

"Uhhmmm... Clove?" Cato asked as he awkwardly looked at Clove.

"Yes?"

"What's your boyfriend like?" Cato asked. Clove frowned and Cato's inside sunk.

"He was wonderful... But he broke my heart,"

"He's very lucky to have had that chance to be with you," Cato said quietly, not aware that Clove heard him.

"I don't know..." Clove muttered.

"What?" Cato asked innocently.

"You said that _'he's very lucky to have__had__that chance to be with'_ me..." Clove stated.

"I did?" Cato asked, dumb-founded. Clove nodded.

'What the fuck is wrong with me?' Cato cursed at himself. He never imagined that it would end up this way. He needed to accept the fact that Clove will never, ever want him. Cato felt sick just by the thought. Clove was really difficult and it was making Cato insanely desperate.

Sure, Clove was interesting, but going this far? No... Just no. He was rich and popular and everybody thinks of him like he's some kind of god, but this girl? She doesn't even acknowledge the interest he was showing her. And it annoyed Cato the most. How can this girl be so oblivious?

Clove cleared her throat and bid her goodbye. Clove waved at Cato and started to walk towards her house as she put the necklace inside her messenger bag that was hanging loosely on her shoulder. Clove stopped walking when she heard Cato call out her name. She turned around to see Cato wearing a very serious, yet naughty look on his face.

"I still want a date though..." Cato said. Then he was gone...

'What the fuck have I gotten myself into?' Clove thought to herself before entering the house.

...

Clove opened the door of Katniss's room. The lights were off and she could hear Katniss' snoring. Katniss was asleep and Clove didn't want to disturb her cousin. After all, she needed the rest. Clove just hoped that she feels better tomorrow, so that she can attend school.

Clove closed the door silently and proceeded to her room. She opened the door and turned on the lights. She walked inside the room, took her bag off her shoulder and placed it on her study table. She stretched her arms before taking a seat on her chair. She yawned as she opened her bag for the assignments that are to be submitted tomorrow. She took out all of her notebooks and text books. She then saw the necklace that Cato gave her. She took it out and examined it.

The necklace looked really old, but it was very unique. It was a chain necklace with a semi-large pendant. The pendant looked to be a large cross, so wide it looked like a square. In the middle, was a large shiny stone that looked like a ruby. It had inlaid scrollwork in black that made it look even more antiqued. Clove turned the pendant over and looked at the back of it. There was a solid square silver part on the back. Clove looked a little closer and saw a tiny hidden hinge. She realized that it was an odd kind of locket as the back could open! She tried to open it but she couldn't. _I really need to start working out and try to be fit at some point. I can't even open a freaking locket!_ Clove thought to herself.

The necklace was beautiful and it made Clove wonder about it. She felt that she has seen this necklace before, but she just couldn't pin point where, when and who owned it. She was confused. But then again, she knew she could always ask Cato about it. But that would be awkward because Cato didn't have a thing for necklaces and that was a really weird subject to talk about. And it was probably owned by one of his many whores. It made Clove sick just by the thought. She put the necklace aside and looked at the pile of notebooks and text books in front of her. She stretched her arms once again and yawned.

She wanted to rest. She needed to clear her mind. She was so lost right now and doing the assignments was like committing suicide. She set aside her assignments and walked towards her bed. She laid down then began massaging her temples with her right hand.

There were a million questions running through her head and she was getting more confused and even more frustrated.

Everything about Cato Evans was completely frustrating her.

Every time she was near Cato, she was always irritated. But deep down inside her tells her that she was kinda fond of it. Every time he was around, she was always annoyed and angry and she couldn't get a hold of herself. She just couldn't understand. There was definitely something about Cato. She knew that she have strong feelings for him, but she was still trying to figure out if it's good or bad. But there was 80% chance that it's on the bad side.

How can she even think of these things when she should be worrying about finishing high school? Fuck! She was so fucking confused right now. She hated not being in control of herself and not being able to understand. She just wanted to forget everything.

...

And that night, Clove forgot to do her assignments. She fell asleep, dreaming of Cato Evans.

* * *

**So whatcha think about that chapter? :)**


	7. Chapter Six

Cato Evans was standing right in front of her. He was wearing this usual smirk on his face. Clove was confused as to why Cato was here. What's happening? She looked around the room and it was oddly familiar. Too familiar, even. It was their house in Ireland. She was standing in their living room, with Cato. 'What is this,' Clove thought. When she went to look back at where Cato was standing, he was gone.

And there was fire, everywhere. It's happening again, Clove thought to herself as she tried not to cry. Everything was burning. Her most beloved piano was being eaten by the fire and she couldn't help the tears from falling. This happened before... Clove was searching the whole place for an exit but there was none. Only walls melting with the fire. Then she heard the scream from upstairs...

It was her mother. She wanted to run upstairs but there's no way out of this hellhole. She was crying loudly, wanting to be heard. She wanted to run but her feet won't let her, it's like, it was glued to the floor. _BANG_!

She cried even louder when she heard the sound of the trigger being pulled. It meant that their dead... Her parents were dead, and she couldn't do anything about it.

She heard footsteps, running down the staircase. Then they saw her.

Clove was crying silently now, because what else can she do? She's going to die anyway. These guys will kill her for sure. Just like what they did to her parents. Clove was ready and she was waiting for them to kill her.

One of the guys walked towards her direction. She examined the man's appearance. The man was tall and has a dirty blonde hair. Almost too muscular for his age. He has a scar on the side of his left eye. And Clove was so sure that this man was the one who's behind all of this.

"Hey man, this shit is going down. We need to go now, before the house burns down completely. Come on! Just leave her! She's going to die anyway." The other guy told him. Clove saw the man smirk his way out of the house.

She may not memorize the whole appearance of the man, she may not remember all the details of that man's face, but she knew that she will never forget the scar. This man took everything she had away from her. She'll never forget the man with the scar...

...

Clove woke up with tears streaming down her face. It was just a dream. But it was so surreal. She was sweating bullets and she couldn't shake off the feeling she's having right now.

'Wow, way to start the day,' Clove thought to herself as she went to the bathroom.

She hoped she would be able to soak this sadness she was feeling away in a nice, hot bath.

After locking the door, she took a look at herself in the mirror and noticing that she actually looked like a mess. Well, she was not surprised by this at all. She looks like a mess every time.

"Pull yourself together Clove," she told herself as she turned the tap on and set it to the right temperature to fill the tub.

...

Clove sat in her usual seat on Chemistry, and yup, no Cato around. She silently prayed that Cato is absent today so that she can actually have a normal day for once.

She felt her phone vibrate, so she pulled it out of her pocket. She saw a message from Katniss and silently read it.

_Clove, I won't be able to accompany you for lunch today. Got some stuff to do at the library. I don't know about Finn and Annie though. Try to contact them Xx_

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Cell phones are not allowed during class."

Clove looked up in panic and was annoyed to find Cato behind her. His sky blue v-neck shirt and jeans were partly covered with a white lab coat. "Didn't anyone tell you that Van Roberts?" he added smirking at her.

Clove pocketed her phone and faced the empty teacher's table. What was it with their chemistry teacher and being late? "Were you reading my message?"

"No," Cato said and occupied the empty seat next to Clove.

"You kept the necklace. I was afraid you were going to burn it in fear of contamination," Cato said eyeing the necklace he gave Clove yesterday.

It was his father's necklace and it didn't really bother him giving it away. It's so girly and he doesn't even like necklaces. What was his father thinking? Does his father think he's gay? Oh well. Even if it was an important necklace, he doesn't care, just like how his father doesn't care about him.

"What kind of contamination might that be?"

Cato smiled brightly. He knew Clove was just humoring him but he was happy to get a reaction nonetheless. "I don't know, maybe some sort of virus that will make you fall madly in love with me?"

Clove snorted. He couldn't believe this guy. She was convinced that he's mentally damaged. For sure...

At that moment, their teacher came in and started handing out questionnaires. "In these sheets are the procedures of today's experiment. One questionnaire per pair, work with your partners. And don't burn anything."

She went down each aisle with a stack of paper in her arms. She handed Clove and Cato their set of questionnaire which Clove took while trying to ignore the look Cato was giving her.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Staring at you," Cato answered, unabashed.

"Please, can you leave me alone for once?"

"Nuh-uh. You look too good to be left alone."

"Are you hitting on me, Evans?"

"Depends. Do you want me to?"

Clove flushed. "No"

"Then no, I'm not," Cato said smiling and winked.

'This is going to be a long day...'

...

Peeta was walking down the hallway with Marvel. He wanted to put a duct tape on Marvel's mouth. This boy could not shut his mouth and it was irritating him. This guy kept on rambling about this girl he met at a club last night, and how he thinks she's so perfect. Marvel was convincing him that this girl was his soulmate and that they were destined for each other.

Marvel might be a sexually active guy and he might act tough, but this boy is just as lovesick as any teenage boy. Peeta was convinced that Marvel was 15 year old girl trapped inside the body of an 18 year old boy.

It was lunch and he was stuck with this guy.

"Where's Cato anyway?" I havent seen him since last period," Marvel said while brushing his hair with his fingers. Peeta just shrugged.

"He's probably planning on how to seduce Van Roberts," Peeta stated.

"I think Cato is losing his touch," Marvel blurted out.

"What? Why did you say so?"

"Look, he was like a sick puppy following Van Roberts around. He's really having a hard time with that girl, I can see. And Cato always get what he wants in a matter of 24 hours or even less. And it's been like 4 days. I dunno, just saying man,"

Marvel was right, Cato was rich and famous, and he's got the looks. No one will turn him down, and anything or anyone he wants? He gets right away. No one can refuse him... No one until that girl named Clove came along. Peeta was actually agreeing with Marvel on this. Cato may be losing his touch...

Peeta's trance broke when somebody bumped into him. The sound of books cluttering on floor only stated that the person fell. And yup, it was a girl. Peeta was always the gentleman of the group. He never really get laid every night, not like his friends usually do. "Girls are supposed to be respected," his mother told him.

Peeta went to help the girl pick up her books from the floor. Then he saw the girl's face...

Katniss Everdeen.

Their eyes met for a second before Katniss broke the contact.

Katniss proceeded on getting the books. This was from the library and the weird-looking lady also known as the librarian will kill her if she saw any scratch from the books she just borrowed. Peeta helped her and she could feel his eyes staring at her. It was melting her. No one stares at her, okay. She was not used to this.

And this was Peeta Mellark. He's a friend of Cato Evans and this means anything but good. She needed to go before this boy bully her or something. He might be innocent-looking, but he was, after all, a friend of Cato. No one will ever know what they have under their sleeves.

She stood up when she had all the books. She accepted the books that Peeta picked up for her. She muttered a silent 'Thank you,' and ran.

A smile grew on Peeta's lips when he saw the girl with the side braid running.

"Wasn't that Van Robert's cousin?" Marvel blurted out.

"Yeah, that was her..."

* * *

**I cannot leave Peeta and Katniss alone okay. They're meant for each other. Lol. Thanks for reading guys, hoped you enjoy :)**


	8. Chapter Seven

Clove closed her eyes and took in the noise that occupied the cafeteria as students filled into said room. She sat next to Annie, and all she could hear were complaints about Finnick being an ass. To be quite honest, the bickering was getting old. Clove thought that Annie and Finnick were totally in love with each other, but they were still blind to that very obvious fact.

Three annoying weeks have passed and Clove was still lost, still confused, and she didn't know why. She knew that going to a new school was going to be difficult, but she didn't expect it to be this hard. Just when one problem got better, something else got in the way and messed the whole thing up all over again. And this was all thanks to the almighty Cato Evans. As much as she wanted to hate Cato, she just couldn't. Clove found herself completely annoyed over the thought.

Cato was still insisting that Clove go out on a date with him, and Clove was sick of hearing about it. Clove thought that with the repeated rejection, Cato would get the message, give up and just leave her alone. But somehow, Clove just knew that Cato wasn't going to give up that easily. In fact, as the days passed, Cato's badgering just got worse.

Initially, the first two weeks had been a mild one. Cato asked Clove to go out with him, and Clove said 'no' – simple as that. Cato accepted the answer and moved on. Further conversations with Cato moved onto everyday topics, where Cato asked her about her life and other general things. Cato didn't annoy her with the same phrases like, "I still want a date!" The week was actually nice. Was Cato was losing his playboy touch?

It was the next week where it all went to hell.

When Cato sent her a text unexpectedly, Clove freaked out. 'HOW THE FUCK DID HE GET MY NUMBER?' her mind raced. 'DID KATNISS GIVE HIM MY NUMBER?...WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME? AM I BEING CURSED?'

What scared her was the realization that she really shouldn't have been surprised over it. Clove knew from past experience that Cato would do anything just to get close to her. Cato's growing presence in Clove's life was getting ridiculous. Everything was just so messes up!

But there was one thing that didn't involve Cato and was actually going well, and that was her job. Cato only knew that Clove had a part time job, but that was it. Clove was surprised that Cato hadn't already hired someone like a detective or an agent to follow her around to find out where she worked!

Clove's job was at the music store, and it was really easy. She was not required to exert much effort at it. She was a storekeeper-slash-cashier, so it didn't affect her studies much. She had already met her co-worker, Jackie, and Clove thought that she was a really nice girl. Jackie was a red-head, and it complimented her porcelain skin. Her doll eyes are enchanting. She was a beautiful girl and she was really fun to be with.

"Jesus Christ died," Katniss suddenly said.

"What?" Clove replied. She looked at Katniss with a confused look on her face. Katniss, Annie and Finnick smirked in unison.

"So you are listening. I thought you were on 'Planet Clove,'" Finnick murmured.

"Shut up," Clove hissed.

"Whoa! Well someone's in bitch mode! Relax girl! We're not going to eat you," Finnick defended himself. Clove just rolled her eyes and looked at her food.

"Necklace," Katniss plainly said and it got Clove's attention.

"What?"

"The necklace…"

"What?"

"I don't remember you buying a necklace like that. And you always wear it. I'm just wondering,"Katniss said while Annie and Finnick nodded in unison.

Clove regretted wearing the necklace to school, but what else could she do? SHE LOVED THE NECKLACE. No, not because Cato gave it to her, but because it was unique and beautiful. Or maybe it was really because Cato gave it to her… Now, what the hell was she thinking?

"You want it or something?" Clove asked with a hint of annoyance in her voice. Katniss had been asking about the necklace a lot lately and it was really irritating.

"No, of course not. I just want to know who gave it to you…"

Oh snap.

At that moment, Clove wanted to be swallowed by the ground underneath her feet. She didn't expect that question but she never really expected anything because she promised herself that she was going to avoid the subject. She didn't want Katniss and the crew to know that Cato gave it to her. But here was Katniss now, asking the very thing she didn't want her to ask.

_Should I lie or tell the truth?_

"Uuuhhh…"

"WHO GAVE IT TO YOU?" the trio yelled in excitement. Clove gulped when she saw their expressions. It was scary to see how excited they were.

Clove sighed in defeat and whispered, "Cato…"

And there was silence at the group's table.

...

"Hey beautiful…"

Clove closed her locker and turned to hier right to confront the very familiar voice.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Clove hissed. Cato took a step backward with a very confused face.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Watch your language, Van Roberts. I'm just stopping by as usual…"

Clove winced when she heard the words "as usual". Cato was right. He was just stopping by as usual, as he had been doing for the last 3 weeks.

For the last three weeks now, Cato had also driven Clove home after school. Clove reluctantly accepted the ride daily, with the exception of Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays, when Clove had to work. Clove knew Cato wondered why she refused rides those days, but Clove just put him off. She didn't want Cato to actually see that she worked at the music store. It was just awkward.

Georg was OKAY with Cato driving Clove home, but she was still nervous about it, because it was Cato Evans doing the driving!

"It's Monday, remember?" Clove reminded Cato. Cato nodded while his mouth formed a perfect "O" shape.

"Sorry… I forgot."

"But anyways, I have to go now…" Clove said as he started to walk away.

"Wait…" Cato grabbed Clove's shirt and made Clove stop.

"What?" Clove asked in confusion.

"Can I at least drive you to work? I mean, just this once?" Cato said as he scratched the back of his neck and looked at the ground, while he still held onto Clove's shirt. Clove looked at Cato with so much awe for being so shy. Clove never saw him like this before. It was cute for some reason.

"You know you can't," Clove said, almost tenderly, like Cato was ten years younger than him. Cato looked at Clove and released his grip on Clove's shirt.

"Yeah… I should probably go now and stop bothering you. You take care…" Cato sadly bid his goodbye and started to walk away.

...

As Cato walked away, he pondered the situation...

Why the hell was he so sad? Why the hell was he so disappointed? Could it be the way Clove always rejects him when it comes to driving her to work? He didn't know. He honestly didn't know. It was like he had this Bipolar disorder. He was happy and giddy about everything in the world even if something bad happened, but when it came to Clove... He got so sad with just one rejection, and to the fact that Clove only rejected a ride. He was so damn confused. It was just a ride, right? And besides he got to drive Clove home every Tuesday and Wednesday. Well, apparently it wasn't enough. He wasn't satisfied by this. He was not satisfied at all. It was like he was way too obsessed with Clove. And he has never been obsessed with someone before. Not ever.

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**I'm sorry for this shitty chapter. I'm currently having writer's block and I don't know what to do with this story anymore. But yeah, hope you still like it. Thank you for reading : Reviews are really appreciated :)**


	9. Chapter Eight

**Hey guys! Here's a filler chapter for ya'll. I think you all deserve to know some of Clove's past life. There's nothing much going on in this chapter but I hope you all enjoy! :)**

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Ringing bells greeted Clove as she opened the door. She was also welcomed by the familiar scent of the music store, and Jackie's perfume and she felt at ease.

"You're late," Jackie said from behind the cash register.

"Oh sorry, I took care of some things in school..." Clove said. She did not mention that she was being followed by a 'creeper' from school. Jackie didn't ask.

"Since we got nothing to do here, let's talk," Jackie said with a smile. "Clove from Ireland, tell me more about yourself."

They spent the remaining time talking about themselves and Clove found she shared a lot of similarities with Jackie. Like her, Jackie also didn't have her parents anymore. She was juggling her college education with two part time jobs, one being in the bookshop and one in a local diner near her college. She also did a lot of side jobs when her schedule is open.

"Sometimes, I sing and play the guitar, you know gigs and stuff. I do it on special occasions only because my schedule is pretty tight this year," Jackie said.

"Really? You play?" Clove asked interestedly.

"Well yeah, I play the guitar and I sing. I'm not really like the Beyonce kind though," Jackie said as she laughed at the Beyonce part. Clove couldn't help but laugh as well.

"How about you? Do you play any instruments?" Jackie asked Clove.

Clove remembered... She used to play the piano. Actually she was very good at it. She played the piano her whole life. She used to play classical music for her parents when they had a bad day, or when they just needed to relax. The only reason why she didn't play the piano anymore, was because of that incident. She was afraid that she will break down. Because playing that instrument just fills her head with memories. Memories of the past, when everything was perfect.

"Uh, I play the piano?" Clove answered, unsure of herself.

"Really? Wow, that's nice! I always wanted to play the piano," Jackie said.

Clove thought about the gig Jackie was talking about. She needed money. She needed extra money to pay her other expenses in school. She might be a scholar, but it was only good for one year. She needed a new job...

"Do you still do the gig?"

"Yeah, but I can't always do it. School is a bitch nowadays," Jackie said.

"Do you think you can take me along one time? You know, to earn extra and stuff," Clove asked shyly. She barely knew Jackie and she was already asking her a favor.

"Of course. I would love to. I can use a little help from a piano player," she said and she looked sincere.

"Thanks."

"No problem girl but I got to run again," Jackie said and gathered her stuff. "If you ever encounter a problem, just phone 911!" She heard Jackie yell followed by the sound of the store bell.

Clove just chuckled to herself at Jackie's witty attitude. She took her place behind the register. The store was empty as usual so she took out her math assignment and started working. Two hours later, Clove finished math and the assigned reading for history. She took out her notebook and scanned it for reminders she might have written.

_Control self when Cato Evans is around._

Clove sighed and slammed the notebook close. "Or I could just tell him to go jump off the nearest cliff."

She really needed to control herself whenever Cato is around. His bickering about the damn date was annoying the hell out of her. She wasn't lying to him when she told him that she's hard to get. Because she doesn't want to get hurt anymore. She remembered how her ex-boyfriend Johnny was like...

In her old school, a boy with dark messy hair and a bright smile captured Clove's heart. He met Clove during her first year of high school. The two years they spent together was the happiest time of her life but then he broke up with her. He told her that she's weak and that he couldn't stand a girl like that.

But deep down inside her, she knew that it was all because of her moving here in Chicago. But she knew Johnny too well, she knew that he wouldn't tell her, because he has his dignity and pride. She knew that Johnny wouldn't be able to tell her how he really felt about her leaving Ireland.

Taking out her phone, Clove opened her picture files and scanned until she was faced by a charming boy in a buttoned-up shirt, his dark messy hair all over the place. She thought Johnny was the one for her, that he would be willing to wait for her but she was wrong. They broke each other's heart and maybe that's the way it was meant to be. It still hurt her when she remembered what they were and what they'd become.

This was the only remaining picture of him that she kept. All the other ones were deleted the night before she boarded the plane to Chicago. She couldn't bring herself to delete this one no matter how much she wanted to move on. So she didn't but Clove was looking forward to the day that she will press that button without hesitation.

Clove released a long breath and tore her gaze off the phone. She couldn't live in the past forever. It was her decision to move here and no, she didn't regret it. Just one more year and she'll be free from that hell of an excuse for a school.

An hour later, Katniss came walking into the shop. She waited a little while Clove arranged some CD's.

"Are you ready to go?" Katniss asked when Clove joined her by the counter.

"I just need a couple of minutes to put today's money at the back and lock up," Clove answered.

"Okay. Do you need help?" Katniss asked.

"No. This will be really fast so you can just wait for me outside," she told her.

"If you say so. I'll have my bike ready in front of the shop," Katniss said and went out.

Clove was grateful that Katniss came to fetch her. It was quite a long way from the shop to their house and Clove didn't have the energy to walk anymore. She was looking forward to going home so she quickly deposited the money in the safe at the back room and locked everything.

Outside, Katniss was already waiting. "Get on."

Clove nodded and mounted the bike behind her cousin. The bike was pretty big but it really helped that Clove didn't need too much space.

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**Thanks for reading. Reviews are appreciated :) **


	10. Chapter Nine

'_Is this a miracle from God?'_ Clove thought to herself.

It was a Cato-free day, and Clove couldn't believe it herself. It was the last period of the day and she hasn't even seen his shadow anywhere. A small smile creeped on her lips as she thinks about how great today was. This day was beyond perfect.

The last period went by swiftly and Clove couldn't wait to be out of this room. It was quite suffocating because the room was really small compared to the other rooms in New Trier High.

When their teacher dismissed them, she walked abnormally fast towards the door for fresh air. All the other students rushed towards one direction, and that is the route to the exit of the school. Clove figured that it wouldn't hurt to hang around for a while and wander around the school, after the building was cleared.

She went to the second floor of the building and luckily, she found no one. She was alone and it felt kind of nice. She felt at ease after those past dreadful weeks.

She wandered around the second floor and found a room filled with musical instruments. The Music Room...

She saw the piano from the small vertical mirror on the left side of the door. She really wanted to play some music right now, because it's been like a year since she played the piano. And she missed the feeling of piano keys under her fingertips. The feeling of something so beautiful makes her want to jump in front of the piano and play for years without stopping.

She entered the room still unsure, but as soon as she saw the real form of the piano, she felt the excitement lingering inside her body. For the first time, in a very long time, she felt like she really needed to do this. Like she needed her parents to hear her, hear how she plays every note perfectly just for them.

She settled down on the stool and opened the cover of the piano keys. She liked the feeling of the piano keys under her fingers because it makes her very superior. Like she could have the world in the palm of her hands.

The moment she played the first few notes, it was sloppy. Of course, she hadn't been playing for a year and this was expected. But as soon as her fingers got used to the sudden movements, it went smoothly. Her fingers danced to the rhythm of the classical piece. She was lost in a trance, she felt like she was in heaven. In every note, she could feel the piano keys releasing some sort of small sparkling bubbles. It was funny to her that she can see this, but this is music and it's supposed to be this beautiful.

She continued on playing and playing and playing. She was so lost in her trance that she forgot about the real world.

Effie Trinket, a music teacher, was watching a girl with dark brown hair playing the piano so beautifully that her tears are threatening to fall from her eyes. She has never heard someone here in New Trier High play like this. It was so beautiful and she could feel that the pianist was really giving it her all.

She knew this girl... It was Clove Van Roberts. She was in her music class, but she barely participated in practical exercises. 'Why was she hiding all of this talent,' Effie thought. She took one last look from behind the door before walking away with a smile on her face.

...

The next day, she had high hopes that Cato won't be around, but the high heavens didn't listen to her hopes and prayers.

"Missed me?"

Clove closed her locker and turned to her right to see Cato Evans...again.

Clove glared at him. "Ooooh, it burns you to have come so close,"

Cato shrugged and rolled his eyes at Clove's reply. This girl didn't even miss him? Even a bit? Is she being serious? Everybody misses him whenever he was gone. EVERYBODY. But now? This girl wouldn't even look at her with a calm face. Was he pushing too far? Was he being so impatient that she was slipping away from him even more? He didn't know.

Cato grabbed Clove's bag and belongings when she started walking down the hallway.

"What do you think you're doing?" Clove looked at Cato with so much intensity in her eyes.

"Uh... I'm carrying your stuff for you?" Cato answered, unsure.

"Yeah, I know. But I can do that myself. I'm no handicap," Clove snapped. Clove didn't know why she was acting like this. She never really snaps at Cato over small things... Well, not really. She didn't know what has gotten into her, but one thing's for sure... She was definitely acting weird.

"Whatever Van Roberts," Cato just smirked and walked away with her things.

And another day with begins...

...

"Van Roberts"

Clove looked up from her book. The library was almost empty, save for a few students who were doing last-minute research before the last classes of the day end. Her music teacher, Ms. Effie Trinket, was in front of her.

"Yes ma'am?" Clove answered politely. Katniss, Finnick and Annie looked up at her questioningly from the social science report that they've been working on.

"Can you come to the principal's office for a moment? The principal and I would like to talk to you about something," she said.

Clove looked at her friends uncertainly and then back to her. "Now?"

"Now."

"Okay," Clove said and stood putting her pen between the pages of her notebook before closing it.

"I think you should get your things. This may take a while," the teacher added, eying Clove's things.

"Oh," she said before turning to Katniss. "Since school is about to end, maybe you should go home without me."

"You don't have a ride. Evans won't drive you home anymore, remember? How will you get home?" Katniss asked.

Oh right... They had an agreement this lunch. Katniss didn't want to see Cato drive Clove home anymore, because she just couldn't take seeing that pathetic guy in front of their house. Clove talked to Cato about this earlier today but he wasn't even listening...

"_Cato, Katniss doesn't want you to drive me home anymore," Clove said looking at Cato who's seating next to her in History class. Cato wasn't listening to her and it's irritating. Cato just looked away and started reading a book that doesn't even look like a history book.  
_

"_Really, Cato?"_

"_What? I'm reading okay!" Cato defended himself. Clove rolled her eyes._

"_Oh, so you read the book upside down? Wow Evans, you're such a fascinating creature aren't you?" Clove said bluntly. Cato just looked at her and smiled._

"_Thank you for the input that I am a fascinating creature. I appreciate it!" Cato said before turning his book upside down so he could actually read the damn thing. It was a surprise to him that he even has a book with him. 'This isn't even a history book! What the hell? Everything's in French!' Cato thought to himself, ignoring Clove for the first time._

_Clove just rolled her eyes. 'What was I even saying to him?' Clove thought with an irritated look._

"It's okay, I'll walk. Aunt Marie might worry if we both go home a little late," Clove said.

"Okay, but I might go back to fetch you. I'll text," Katniss said and she nodded.

"Thanks," she said before following the teacher out the library.

Clove walked a couple of feet behind Ms. Trinket. What could possibly be the thing that they wanted to talk to her about? She was certain that she didn't do anything wrong except being mistaken as a cheater (Which was definitely not her fault) and punching Cato in the gut. Could those things get her expelled? Maybe the cheating-she-didn't-even-do part might. Or is it because she wasn't participating in her class? 'Oh no,' Clove thought. But Ms. Trinket was really nice. Even though her pink her was weird, she's still one of the nicest teacher her in New Trier High... Or maybe Cato pulled a few strings to get her into trouble. That was highly possible. She quickened her pace to catch up.

"Umm... Am I in trouble, Ms. Trinket?" Clove asked nervously.

Ms. Trinket smiled. "Don't worry dear. You're not in trouble."

She knocked a few times before opening the door to the principal's office. The principal was sitting behind the desk with a wooden plate. On it were the words 'Haymitch Abernathy', elegantly carved with the word 'principal' carved below it but in smaller size. He placed the paper he was reading down on the table as Ms. Trinket and Clove entered his office.

"Clove Van Roberts," the principal greeted and motioned to the seats in front of his table.

"You asked for me, sir?" Clove asked as she took a seat.

"Yes. This is regarding your scholar status here in Palo Verde," the principal answered.

Clove's stomach sank. "What about it?"

"Well as you know, your impressive academic records has put you into a scholar status here, meaning you get to study here in subsidized tuition as long as you maintain good grades," he said. Clove nodded waiting for him to continue.

"I've been monitoring your performance this past three weeks and I must say I'm very impressed," Principal Abernathy said smiling.

"Thank you."

"Your chemistry teacher, Mrs. Higgins, just told me that you are doing very well in her class," he said.

"I'm not that good," Clove replied modestly.

"As of now, all the seniors were given three quizzes, one paper and an experiment questionnaire. You, Clove Van Roberts, topped the whole batch with flying colors, including those classes which are under Mr. Cinna Gomez, the other chemistry teacher," Principal Abernathy said.

Clove blinked. "Oh"

"But that's not what caught my attention though. Ms. Effie told me that she saw playing the piano at the music room yesterday. She told me that she has never heard anyone play the piano like you did. She was very impressed,"

Someone saw her? Ugh. Clove mentally slapped herself for being so careless.

"This morning, I received a letter," Mr. Abernathy continued, gesturing to the paper on his table that he was reading earlier, "and it turned out to be an invitation for the interschool piano competition to be held next week."

"We want you to represent our school in this competition," Ms. Trinket said.

Clove was speechless. She used to represent his former school in academic competitions but not a piano competition. She'd never done a piano competition before and it was making her nervous already. It has only been like a month since she transferred here. "I don't know about that. It's kind of sudden."

"We understand but this competition is really held annually at the first month of school to make things more interesting. Your competitors will have just as little time as you to prepare and we're very confident that you have a great chance," Ms. Trinket said.

"And the school has decided to increase your tuition subsidy if you chose to represent the school and win the competition," Mr. Abernathy added.

Clove smiled. "Really?"

"Yes. Ms. Trinket will coach you everyday after school for an hour until the contest. It's a small sacrifice but it would be a good opportunity," the principal said.

Everyday after school? Clove's stomach sank again when she remembered that she also needed to be at work during those times. Maybe she could ask Jackie to cover for her for an extra hour? What will she do? "Can I think about it this weekend?"

"Okay but you have to tell us first thing on Monday. Is that clear?" Mr. Abernathy said.

"Yes sir."

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**So what do you think? :) There's a couple of grammatical errors here and there, and I'm sorry for that. I'm not in my usual self lately but thank you for reading and I hope you like it. Reviews are really appreciated :)**


	11. Chapter Ten

It was already dark when Clove got out of the school building. She was still thinking about that meeting she had with their principal and her music teacher. It was actually a nice offer. Just play the piano with all her best, and her tuition fee will be lessen. She might actually do it, she might actually involve herself in a piano contest.

She unconsciously pulled her hoodie tighter around her neck and adjusted her messenger bag and began to walk down the parking lot. It was empty. She took out her cell phone and found a message from Katniss.

_Can't pick you up. Mom gave me an errand. I'm here at the mall buying some gardening supplies. I'm sorry.  
_  
Clove pocketed her phone and continued walking. The school seemed so much different without the people and the noise and it reminded Clove of a scene in one of the horror movies she had watched with Katniss. She quickened her pace.

She was just a few meters away from the school when a car honked behind her. Clove turned to the car and squinted a bit when she was met by the headlights of a familiar black sports car. It pulled over beside the pavement and Cato's smirking face greeted her.

"You just got out?" Cato asked from the driver's seat.

"Yes," she answered and started to walk again. Cato kept on following her and it dismayed her.

"Are you going home?" Cato asked.

Clove rolled her eyes. "Yes. Cato, we talked about this earlier. No more 'driving me home'."

Cato huffed. "It's just a ride. Why does Katniss always disapproves?"

"Well maybe she's just not that fond of you," Clove rolled her eyes. This guy just doesn't get it.

"I don't care. Just get in the car," Cato said while honking the car like a 5 year old kid. Clove laughed at the sight.

"Are you being serious?" Clove kept on laughing. Cato glared at her.

"What's so funny?" Cato grunted.

"Oh nothing. Just do me a favor and go home," Clove bit her lips to hide the incoming laughter.

"Come on, Clove. Just this once. Please," Cato said geniunely. Clove looked at him and contemplated for a minute.

Clove sighed and said, "Okay, but this is going to be last one,"

"Of course," Cato smiled and opened the passenger seat's door.

"Seatbelt," Cato explained as he pulled the belt buckle from somewhere near Clove's window. He could smell Clove's neck.

Clove stared at him weirdly and grabbed the belt buckle from him. "I can fasten my own seatbelt."

"Right," Cato muttered as he reluctantly retreated out of Clove's personal space.

Cato stepped on the gas and sped off. The streets were quiet and almost empty. He kept on glancing in Clove's direction.

Clove had her eyes glued to the window. She watched the trees and the people walking on the sidewalks.

"Do you mind if we stop by somewhere?" Clove asked suddenly. She was rubbing her nape in a shy manner, not meeting Cato's eyes. "You could just drop me off there if you want..."

"Don't be ridiculous. Of course I don't mind if we make a stop."

"Thanks," Clove muttered giving him a small smile and Cato's grip on the steering wheel tightened.

After a few minutes, Clove told him to park in front of a small music store he hadn't noticed before. Cato drove by these roads before but the absence of bright lights and the massive amount of vegetation in front of the shop made it hard to catch Cato's attention. He turned off the engine and stepped out of his car. He followed Clove into the store and was startled by the bell that rang when they opened the door.

He trailed a little behind Clove through the rows of CD racks and noticed that there weren't any customers at the moment. A young, tall, masculine (but not as masculine as him) guy with brown hair manned the cash register. Clove smiled at the guy when he looked in their direction. He believed Clove when she said she was hard to get but he can't help the nasty feeling he got when Clove and the guy smiled at each other.

"Hey Gale," Clove greeted.

Gale Hawthorne. Clove met him like a week ago. She learned that Jackie and her weren't the only employee of the music store. When Jackie or Clove was not around, he was the one taking their places. Clove only sees him a few times because he said that his schedule is pretty tight because of College. The reason why he was working was that he needed a side line for extra money. Clove thought Gale was a cool guy. He was really nice to her when they first met. He's really gorgeous, Clove thought. He reminded her of Johnny. The brown hair, and the tall figure. It was like a masculine version of her ex-boyfriend.

"Hey," Gale said smiling. "You brought a friend."

"Oh, yeah," Clove said awkwardly, "a classmate from school."

"Gale. Clove's co-worker in this lovely music store," Gale said smiling.

"Cato," Cato said and held out his hand to Gale. "Clove's errr... lab partner."

Gale accepted his hand and Cato managed to stop himself from crushing Gale's while they shook hands.

"You work here?" Cato asked turning to Clove.

Clove gave him a look that said 'I'll explain later' so he nodded before walking towards a shelf that displayed the new arrivals. He picked up a CD of Taylor Swift while he watched Clove talk to Gale. Clove was looking like she was explaining something while Gale listened. Cato thought Gale was too close to Clove for his liking but he shrugged the feeling off and tried to focus on the CD. Why was he holding this? He doesn't even like Taylor Swift that much.

After a few more painful moments and a lot of spying from Cato, Clove was thanking Gale with a bright smile. They said goodbye and exited the shop.

"Gale seemed... nice," Cato said sarcastically as they reached the front porch of the music store.

Clove didn't miss the tone of sarcasm. "He is. He just agreed to do me a really big favor too."

"Something I couldn't have done?" Cato asked without thinking. There was a really annoying feeling at the pit of his stomach and it was making his head buzz.

"I asked him to cover my shift, at least until I get there, next week," Clove said. Why is Cato acting like this?

"I could have done that," Cato said confidently.

"No you could not," Clove said simply. "You don't even work."

Cato's eyes narrowed on the road. Who did this girl think he is?

"I could buy that freaking music store if I wanted to and both you and Gale would be out of jobs," Cato said in a voice that reminded Clove of a spoiled brat.

Clove sighed disbelievingly. She acted civil and she tried to be nice despite what Cato had done her in the past three weeks but he was just so difficult to be with. He's just so high and mighty all the time and Clove was getting sick of it.

"What the hell are you saying?" Clove asked her voice rising.

"I'm saying that I don't work because I don't need to," Cato replied in an as-a-matter-of-fact tone.

"What does that even have to do with my job?"

"I don't know but probably nothing. Or maybe I just want to get to your fucking nerves."

"Jeez Cato! What is all this about?" Clove asked frustrated.

"Don't play dumb with me Van Roberts. It doesn't suit you," Cato said letting out a huff.

"You're such a freaking baby! You're so childish! What the hell is wrong with you?" Clove yelled so loudly at Cato that the people walking past them were taken aback. Cato huffed and looked at Clove.

"What the hell is wrong with me?"

"You're acting like a 5 year old boy! Stop acting like that!" Clove shouted again.

"Then don't fucking act like you're not aware that I'm interested you!"

At those words, a dead silence descended upon the pair. The only thing that Clove could hear right now was her heartbeat and her heartbeat only. It was beating very hard and very fast at the same time. Clove had trouble wrapping her mind around the words Cato just said. She was mesmerized, surprised, shocked and scared.

"I… I have to go now." Cato announced and then he was gone with the wind, leaving Clove speechless at the front porch of the music store.

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**Ooohhh... Things are getting intense between Cato and Clove. I wonder what happens next... LOL. Reviews are highly appreciated. Thank you for reading! :)**


	12. Chapter Eleven

**Here's a very long chapter for y'all. Haha. Hope you guys enjoy! :)**

* * *

Clove wanted to forget it, erase it from her memory but there was no use. The more she wanted to forget Cato's words, the more she thought of it unconsciously. She was confused. She was uncomfortable. And she was scared. Scared? It was because she was supposed to feel nothing, yet her stomach fluttered, her heart jumped in her chest and she was rendered totally speechless when Cato was near her. You only felt things like this when you were in love. Clove didn't love Cato. She barely liked him. So why did she feel like she was…crushing on Cato?

"Poor guy," Gale commented and shook his head.

"Hhhmmm?" Clove asked, her trance broken.

She went back to the music store and decided to help Gale. She just wanted to clear her mind and forget about everything Cato-related. But it wasn't working...

Both Clove and Gale were behind the counter. Clove manned the register and Gale, well he was watching Clove as she did her work, since his shift ended some time ago.

"Oh my god... You could be the most oblivious girl in all the land, Van Roberts."

Clove smirked at him and then checked her wristwatch. "I don't know where you got the idea but I think you should have left ten minutes ago."

"I want to stay here for a while and as for the idea… Well, I got it from experience." Gale said while smiling at Clove.

"You sound like you have too much free time. I didn't think you'd find a chance to do your so called observations. You're a very talented young man, Gale. I'm impressed," she said in a monotonous voice.

"Is it really hard to see, Clove? That guy is begging for you to come over and help him find a CD of god-knows-what, but you didn't even notice him did you? He's so into you…"

"What guy?" Clove said while fixing her hair and tying it with a rubber band.

Gale shook his head and then grabbed the sides of Clove's head and directed it to the guy's direction at a nearby shelf. He was wearing a blue t-shirt and some skinny jeans. He was short, skinny and tanned-skin. His dark hair is brushed up in a formal way. He looked alright, Clove thought. But he's not her type. She likes tall guys, with fair skin. She likes guys with messy blonde hair. She likes guys with a little bit of buff in their body. She likes guys with baby blue eyes, and... Wait. What?

Clove shook her head and withdrew her gaze immediately.

Her mind was just playing with her. She did not just think of that. She doesn't like tall guys. She doesn't like messy blonde hair. She doesn't like blue eyes. She doesn't like it!

'You're so screwed, Van Roberts,' Clove thought to herself.

"He's been in here for almost an hour trying to get your attention," Gale whispered to Clove.

"Yeah… Sure, Gale." Clove said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"I'm just saying," Gale winked at Clove and poked Clove's side.

...

"Take it easy Cato," Peeta said as he watched Cato down his 8th bottle of beer. Peeta was shocked. Cato wasn't the kind of person who usually drank this much. Not to mention in only 25 minutes.

'Eight bottles of beer? Are you fucking kidding me?' Peeta thought to himself.

"Did something happen?" Peeta asked over the loud music. "You came in here less than 30 minutes ago looking like you just saw a ghost, and now you're drowning yourself in beer."

Cato laughed. "Nothing happened, Peet. I'm fine. I just want to get drunk and find a quick fuck tonight."

Peeta stared at him in disbelief but said nothing.

"That one looks super hot," Cato told him pointing to a girl dancing near the bar.

"Her? Marvel did her last night," Peeta said.

"Marvel did her?"

"Yes." Peeta replied. "How is everything going with Clove?" Peeta asked, changing the subject.

Cato laughed. "I don't know," he answered honestly.

"Maybe you should drop it. There are lots of other beautiful people here that are dying to have a moment with you," Peeta suggested.

"Drop it? What do you mean?" Cato asked turning to face Peeta.

Peeta took a deep breath. "Look, I know you said Clove is interesting, but is she worth all this? She's..."

"She's what?"

"She's getting to you, Cato. I'm worried." Peeta said, concerned.

Cato stared at his friend. Getting to him? As if!

"That's ridiculous Peeta."

"Is it?"

"I'm not in love with Clove," Cato muttered and took a large gulp of his drink. "I told you I'm bored and Clove is interesting. I want this. And I want this bad."

The skinny girl with golden straight hair was now looking at Cato, lustfully. Cato smiled at her as he took another sip of his beer.

"Clove doesn't want you."

The words hit him like thunder. Cato glared at Peeta. He wanted to say no, that there was no way Peeta could possibly know that, but he knew deep down he was afraid that Clove really might not want him. But so what? He never cared. What he just couldn't understand was why he was so scared to know the truth.

"Maybe yes, maybe no. But soon enough, he will want me," he replied without a trace of concern.  
Cato downed the rest of the contents of his bottle before he rose and decided to approach the girl. Peeta grabbed his wrist before he could make a step.

"What do you want now?"

Peeta stared at him seriously with a hint of something Cato couldn't quite place. Concern? Sympathy? He didn't know.

"She's not Clove."

Cato's eyes widened at the simple statement. He smiled at Peeta.

"I know."

...

A loud sound, which Cato recognized as his message alert tone, shot through his ears and woke him up from his dreamless slumber. He rubbed his temples because he felt a major headache coming on. He heard a grunt from beside him and he saw a big lump covered by the sheets. He thought for a moment, trying to remember the events of last night. After some minutes, everything came flooding back to him.

Last night was a very big mistake. Yes, the girl was pretty, like a face you'd find in a magazine. Cato read a lot of magazines before and saw many pretty faces, but he couldn't remember any of them. Cato was sure that this pretty face will be easily forgotten though, just like all the others. So why was this big mistake? Because this girl was different. This girl was so used. So unfortunately that night, Cato didn't feel a thing.

Cato finally located his cell phone under the girl's pillow. He held it tightly and rose from the bed. The headache was getting worse and he needed some aspirin.

He grabbed a robe on his way to the door and put it on before he went outside and walked down the hallway of his mansion. He glanced at the phone's screen and sighed.

_You have 1 new message from Peeta_

Cursing because of the headache, he pressed the button to open the message. He stopped when he spotted one of his maids...

"Hey you, tell the guard to get rid of that girl for me later, will you?" Cato asked, and the maid nodded. Like sex, drinks and party, _garbage disposal _was also a part of his daily routine.

"Thanks," Cato said and continued to walk. When he reached his real room, he sat on his bed and read a message from Peeta.

_Where are you?_

He typed a quick 'Had the worst hangover ever' and hit 'send.' Just a few moments later, he received a reply.

_Are you coming to school? School's about to start._

Cato popped a few aspirin tablets into his mouth and drank a glass of water that the maids prepared for him before texting back.

_I don't know. Maybe._

He needed a bath. He needed it badly. The girl had worn a strong, sickening smelling perfume last night that clung to his body. He hated the smell and wondered how the hell he was able to stomach it last night while having the worst sex he had ever experienced in his entire life. He wondered what Clove would smell like...

...

It was Monday morning. Clove just got back from the Principal's office to inform him that she was willing to participate in the contest on Friday. Katniss, Annie, and Finnick were waiting for her outside the door and they were now walking at the school corridor towards their lockers.

"But how about your job at the music store?" Katniss asked. Annie and Finnick nodded in agreement.

"Oh, I covered it up. I asked my co-workers to fill me in," Clove told them with a smile.

"Hey Katniss... Do you think you can wait for me until I finish piano practice with Ms. Trinket?" Clove asked hopefully. Their house was quite far from here and Clove didn't want to walk that distance alone.

"Sure. I'll just work on some home work while waiting," Katniss said.

"Thank you Kat," Clove said grinning wide. This was why her cousin was the greatest person in the world.

"Uhhmm..." She knew that voice.

Clove whipped around and came face to face with a smiling Cato. And this one could just be the opposite of Katniss.

"Hi," Cato greeted brightly and Clove took a quick step back.

Finnick and Annie were looking at Cato with surprised expressions while Katniss took a step between Cato and Clove with an intense glare.

"What do you want?" Katniss asked Cato as she positioned herself as if to shield her cousin. People from the other lockers and the hallway were watching and whispering.

"I just need a word with Clove, Katniss. That's all," Cato replied unflinching.

Katniss's face hardened at Cato's confidence but didn't move out of the way. The crowd gathering around them was thickening and Clove could even see a few a people pulling out their camera phones and recording the scene.

"Katniss, it's okay," Clove whispered to her cousin in a reassuring tone.

"No Clo. I am not going to leave you alone with this guy," Katniss said still not making any plans to move.

Clove squeezed her cousin's shoulder lightly. "I got it Kat. Don't worry."

After a few more moments, Katniss grudgingly stood aside. Annie and Finnick held either side of Katniss as Clove stepped forward.

"If you do anything to my cousin, I'll kill you," Katniss muttered dangerously at Cato.

Cato felt like he should take Katniss's threat seriously. He nodded slightly at the emerald-eyed girl before motioning for Clove to follow him. He walked towards the stairs and Clove reluctantly followed him. They climbed up towards the less crowded second floor and Cato led them to one of the empty classrooms. He walked in and waited for the other to follow.

"Well?" Cato asked waiting for Clove.

"You can tell me whatever here in the hallway," Clove said still standing at the threshold.

"I told you rape isn't my style," Cato reminded her but Clove still looked unconvinced. "Trust me. You won't want anyone to hear what I'm going to tell you."

After a few moments, Clove stepped inside and reluctantly closed the door behind her. "Okay, it's just us in here. Shoot."

Cato smiled. "I heard that you're going to join the interschool piano contest. Is that correct?"

"Yes, so what if I am?"

"Well, I'm just curious as to why you would agree to do that. You have a job right?" Cato said.

Clove stared at him suspiciously. "I do and I've already got that covered. I see no reason why I wouldn't go for the contest."

"Oh come on. Tell me why you're really doing this," Cato said. Clove was watching him with narrowed eyes and arms firmly crossed in front of her chest.

"They're going to increase my tuition fee subsidy if I win. But you already knew that, didn't you Cato?" Clove said.

Cato laughed. "You got me."

"Where are you going with this?" Clove had a feeling that Cato got another something brewing.

"I am the son of the most influencial man here in Chicago, Clove. You wouldn't have to pay a cent if I told them so," Cato said.

"You'd do that?" Clove asked doubtfully.

Cato smiled at her. "Of course I would."

Is Cato saying that he'd help Clove get her high school education for free? This would surely take off a huge load from Benny and Lisa's shoulders not to mention give her college fund a boost. Yet this was Cato. He wouldn't do anything unless...

"In exchange for what?" Clove asked seriously.

Cato's smile widened and he slightly jumped to sit on the teacher's table, his legs swinging a bit in the air. "Take a guess."

Clove thought she had a very good idea of what Cato wanted. A date? A kiss? A night? They're all possible but they also came down to one thing.

"Me," Clove muttered more to herself than to Cato but he still caught it nonetheless.

Cato clapped and Clove shot him a glare. "You really are a genius."

"It wasn't that hard to guess," Clove said.

"You're right. I do want you but I'll be a little more specific. I want you to be my girlfriend until the school year ends. That means you'll go out with me when I say so, I could call you whenever I wanted, you'd sometimes stay over at my house, you wouldn't see anyone else, and I can do... things to you," Cato said smirking mischievously.

Clove looked away flushing. It might be a really big help if the rest of her stay in this school would be for free but in exchange for that? It was ridiculously overpriced and... How can this guy even think of such indecent deal? Taking advantage of someone in need like this? After Clove recovered, she said angrily, "What even made you think that I'll be desperate enough to sell myself to you?"

Cato shrugged mocking innocence. "I could send out a request asking for you right now or do many other things you'd never imagine I could. All of these things will be much easier for me and believe me Van Roberts, I always get what I want. But no, I don't want that. I'm giving you a chance to benefit from this as well."

"Is that supposed to make me feel grateful?"

"Special actually. You can choose to make things difficult and I promise you it could get really ugly or, you could take my offer which is a lot easier and we'll both be happy," Cato said.

Clove hated it but she had to admit that Cato was right. Cato could make her life here even more difficult than it already was. Hell, he could get Clove expelled if he wanted. Cato did have the upper hand.

Staring at the floor, Clove slowly made her way to the teacher's table and stopped just a couple of feet in front of Cato.

"You're right," Clove began as she slowly closed the gap, putting herself directly in between Cato's legs, "I really do need money."

Cato's eyes widened in surprise but didn't complain. He watched the other's every movement quietly. Clove looked so beautiful and innocent Cato could think of a thousand ways to break her and make her scream his name whilst making her beg. He held Clove's chin and slowly directed Clove's gaze from the floor to his face. Clove blushed. Sweet baby jesus.

"I want to," Clove said before putting her hands on both of Cato's knees shyly and Cato gasped. His breathing started to become labored and a familiar feeling in his lower region was beginning to surface.

"I want to finish high school," Clove said softly to Cato's left ear. Cato felt a chill went down his spine. He could smell Clove, so close just like that night when he gave her a ride home in his car. His pants became uncomfortably tighter and he squirmed when he felt Clove's hands on his knees slowly gliding upwards. Fuck, fuck, fuck...

"And go to college," Clove almost whispered but Cato couldn't concentrate on her words anymore. The feeling in his pants was becoming harder to ignore.

Cato couldn't take it anymore. He suddenly grabbed Clove by the waist, pulling her against his body and completely removing what little space they had between them. He smirked when Clove's eyes widened in surprise and put her hands against Cato's chest. Cato gulped as he watched Clove lick her lips before speaking again.

"I don't have the money to do all this," Clove began, slowly leaning forward and Cato couldn't form coherent thoughts any longer. His brain was buzzing with a simple stream of fuck, fuck, fuck... He closed his eyes and waited in anticipation. This was it. After a punch to his midsection, four sleepless nights, twenty-seven bottles of beer, and the worst fuck he ever had from that skinny girl at the club. Clove was finally giving in. Instead of meeting her lips however, Clove leaned in to Cato's ear.

"But I'll do my darn hardest to do it all without your help."

The warm body that was Clove was suddenly gone. Cato's eyes snapped open to see Clove swiftly walking across the room towards the door. She closed her hand around the knob before looking back at Cato. Why didn't she see that coming?

"I'm not a whore. Don't think your money can buy anything, or anyone," Clove told him before opening the door. She stepped out slamming the door shut behind her.

Cato groaned. That bitch! How dare she pull something like that on him? Clove fucking Van Roberts left him half hard on a teacher's table. How the fuck was he going to fix this?

Suddenly, the door opened again and Clove's head appeared.

"And you're not my type!" Clove exclaimed. There was the sound of the door slamming for the second time and she was gone again.

"Gaaahhh!"

* * *

**Sorry for leaving you hanging. But I am now out of ideas. LOL. But I will surely post another chapter maybe on Wednesday? I don't know. I'm still working on the ideas. :) Clove is being a teaser, isn't she? Hahaha. She can play her own little games. But anyway, what do you think? Please let me know. :)**


	13. Chapter Twelve

**Here's another chapter, as promised. Haha. ENJOY! :)**

* * *

Katniss was obviously relieved when she saw Clove walk in their first class a minute before the bell rang. Clove grinned at her friends and tried to ignore the whispering and staring their other classmates did. Great. Why don't they just all put up a website so that they can all go Clove-101, 24/7 from their laptops too?

"What the hell is their problem?" Clove asked annoyed.

"Cato took you to some place private so that he could talk to you alone. He practically told everyone in the hallway that you're next on his to-do list," Katniss explained.

"So what happened? What did he want?" Finnick asked while Annie scooted closer to listen.

Clove sighed and leaned in so that their classmates won't hear. "He offered to help me so that I won't need to pay tuition anymore in exchange for being his girlfriend for the rest of the school year."

Katniss gasped and both Annie and Finnick looked equally surprised.

"Wow, Clo. Talk about making a deal with the devil," Finnick said.

"What did you tell him?" Annie asked excitedly.

"Of course I said no. He's not my type, remember?" Clove muttered.

"So you'd say yes if he is?" Katniss asked.

"Even if I did like him, I wouldn't date someone with such a rotten personality who thinks he could buy anything and anyone," Clove replied.

The teacher walked in and that signaled the end of their discussion. Katniss gave Clove a small smile before turning to the teacher's direction. He was now doing the roll call.

...

Cato entered the chemistry lab thirty minutes after the bell rang, holding a can of soft drink. The teacher was showing Marvel and another kid how to prepare the solution they were using today and didn't notice Cato coming in. He took a swig from the can and spotted the girl that caused him so much trouble earlier, heating a beaker over the burner at their table.

Clove was in the middle of measuring the temperature of her solution when Cato slumped down the seat beside her. Clove looked up and she almost felt sorry for Cato. Cato looked like shit.

Clove went back to carefully measuring the temperature when suddenly, her yellow solution turned dark brown. She looked up and saw Cato smirking at her while he poured the contents of his tin can into Clove's beaker.

"What the hell?" Clove interjected causing Peeta and his partner to look in her direction with startled expressions.

Cato smiled at her. "I think your solution needs a little more color."

Clove huffed in disbelief. "This activity is meant to be done by _pairs_. You just destroyed our set-up!"

Clove glared at him, waiting for Cato to show some sign of remorse.

"Oops?" Cato said.

Oh right, Cato didn't care. Sighing deeply, Clove stood carrying the beaker and emptied it in the sink. She fetched another beaker and prepared the solution again. She turned on the burner while setting the beaker above the fire.

Cato just sat there watching Clove redo the solution that he ruined. He received a glare and he returned it with a sarcastic smile.

"If you're not going to help, get the hell out of my way," Clove muttered as she placed the thermometer into the solution.

"Who said that I won't help? We're partners so of course I'll help," Cato said. He spotted another beaker that contained a powdery white substance and he smirked before scooping some of it and dumping it into the beaker Clove was heating.

"You asshole!" Clove spat while Cato laughed lightly. "I'm done. I'm going to tell Mrs. Higgins that I don't want to work with you."

"Go ahead. See if she cares. Especially when I tell her that I want you and _only you_as my lab partner," Cato said while mixing the beaker with a glass dropper.

Clove wanted to chuck the burner at Cato's face. "You're really going to make this hard for me, aren't you?"

"Oh absolutely," Cato replied with a smile.

Clove needed all the self control she had to stop herself from beating the crap out of Cato. She forced herself to get another beaker and proceeded to prepare the solution yet again.

"You think you're all good and pure, don't you?" Cato muttered in a low voice. Clove ignored him. Hell, there's no way that girl was going to ignore him. Not after what she did.

"You think you're so smart and too good for me, don't you? You think you're different but you're not. You're just a nerd who hides behind her A-pluses," Cato continued while Clove kept her eyes resolutely on the thermometer. Cato decided to go on.

"How does it feel to have to work your ass off to buy your way into college, Clove? How does it feel to be an intruder in the life of a family because you got nowhere else to go?"

Clove stiffened at the mention of Katniss's family and Cato smirked in delight. Was that a nerve?

"I bet they hate you. They are your relatives but you left them with no choice. You're just a burden, another mouth to feed," Cato continued.

Anger buzzed at Clove's ears like a loud siren and she focused on keeping her hold at the thermometer steady. She kept telling herself that he wasn't worth it over and over in her head but Cato's words were hitting her like lightning.

"Your life is miserable. You have your grades and you can pretend everything is okay as long as you got in to college. But after that, what will happen Clove? Take another course? Earn another degree? Work your ass off a little more?"

Cato leaned closer to Clove and he could see the hand holding the thermometer shaking with anger. He smiled. "You can't stay in school forever but I understand. You got nothing in your life. You're alone since the day your parents died, and if you should blame them on other things besides leaving you, blame them for giving you such a pretty face that fucking led me to you."

A loud shattering noise was heard across the laboratory. Blood ran from Clove's hands and along the length of her arm, down to her elbow staining the sleeve of her lab coat. Cato's smirk vanished.

"What's going on here?" Mrs. Higgins asked looking at Clove's bleeding hand.

"I-uh broke the thermometer. I'm sorry," Clove mechanically said with her face expressionless.

"Goodness, you're losing a lot of blood!" she said and took Clove's arm. She got a first aid kit and hastily wrapped the hand with a white cloth.

"I'm no good with these things but this will have to do until you reach the clinic. Go now," she commanded. "The wound might have been infected with mercury."

Clove mechanically stood to leave, her table stained with several small pools of crimson that was her blood and littered with pieces of broken glass.

"I'll go with her," Cato said suddenly just when Clove reached the door. He wanted to slap himself for volunteering to take Clove to the clinic when she probably didn't want to see him at the moment.

"I think that's a good idea. I can't leave the class and I should clean this up. Someone might get poisoned with mercury," the teacher said.

Cato expected Clove to refuse but she didn't say anything and just stood near the door waiting for Cato. When he reached Clove's side, Clove opened the door and went out without a word. She walked silently along the hallway clutching her loosely bandaged hand with an unreadable expression.

Cato trailed a little behind him feeling nervous. Maybe he got a little too far?

"Look. Clove-"

"Don't," Clove told him coldly and Cato flinched.

There was nothing scary about Clove's appearance; in fact she looked like she was just taking a stroll to the clinic. If it came down to a fist fight, Cato was confident he would win so no, it wasn't that. He couldn't exactly describe it but Clove seemed to have a cold aura that just scared Cato. He would have preferred it if Clove pulverized the thermometer on Cato's face instead of her own hand because then Clove would show something. Now however, there was nothing but frighteningly cold nothingness.

They continued walking in silence until they reached the school clinic. Clove knocked a few times before opening the door and entering. Cato followed suit.

The white room smelled of antiseptic and ointment. The desk was empty and there weren't any other patients waiting aside from them.

"Excuse me?" Cato called. No one answered.

Clove sat on one of the waiting chairs quietly, staring at her didn't look angry. Her face was a complete blank. Cato wondered why Clove still hadn't rounded up on him and his gaze landed on Clove's injured hand. The bandage their teacher had put on it was beginning to soak with blood.

"My friend here got his hand hurt by a broken thermometer and he's bleeding like a fucking fountain," Cato called louder.

Still no answer.

Cato made an annoyed noise and walked in the door behind the receiving desk. Behind it was a slightly bigger space with a couple of beds, a medicine cabinet, a weighing scale, and another door. It was locked.

"Hello?" Cato called loudly slamming his knuckles against the locked door. Nothing.

He rummaged through the medicine cabinet and found a bottle of antiseptic, a roll of gauze, cotton balls, and clean bandages. Cato didn't know what he needed so he grabbed them all before walking back to the door and making his way to Clove who ignored his arrival. Cato sat on his heels in front of her.

"The fucking nurse isn't here so I'll dress your wound myself," Cato told her. Clove didn't answer. Her eyes were glued to her lap.

Cato had never dressed a wound before in his entire life but the bandage on Clove's hand was now entirely red and dripping with blood. Her wounds needed to be cleaned and bandaged as soon as possible and there's no one else to do it but him. Oh well. It's his fault anyway.

He fumbled with the bottle of antiseptic and cotton. "Give me your hand," Cato said reaching out for Clove's blooded hand.

Clove still refused to look at him but she wordlessly gave her hand. Cato slowly unwrapped it and frowned a little at the sight of the angry wounds. He tossed the dripping bandage at the waste can nearby and started to wipe the blood off. He opened the bottle of antiseptic and slowly poured a generous amount over a cotton ball. Clove hissed at the pain as Cato used the cotton to clean her wounds.

"Just endure it a little longer," Cato said as he ran the cotton along the wounds. Clove just nodded.

This was his fault. He was so angry with what Clove did that morning. He was so pissed that he didn't care if he gave such a low blow and used Clove's personal information to fuck with the girl's mind.

"Oww," Clove said softly, flinching as Cato removed a small piece of broken glass that was buried deep in Clove's skin.

Cato knew he went too far and as much as he wanted to deny it, he felt like a big jerk for hurting Clove's feelings. He knew what he should do but the words were stuck in his throat and he can't get them out.

Most of the blood was already cleaned off. Cato proceeded to bandaging up Clove's hand. He wiped the beads of sweat forming on his forehead with the back of his hand and concentrated on the roll of white cloth.

"There," Cato said as he tied a tight knot, smiling slightly at his handiwork.

Clove slowly clenched and unclenched her hands frowning slightly. "Thank you."

Guilt almost swallowed Cato whole at the words. "No, I-I... I mean I'm..."

The clinic door burst open and in came the nurse carrying a small box of something Cato didn't know. "Oh dear," she muttered intelligently when she saw Cato and Clove.

"You are in big trouble," Cato said glaring at her.

...

Later after school, Katniss dropped Clove off at the bookshop. She spent an extra hour in the music room with Ms. Trinket talking about the piece she was going to do at the contest. They practiced some piano drills and Clove played Beethoven's Symphony no. 7 for Ms. Trinket. Effie was very much satisfied with it.

"Thanks Kat. Tell Aunt Marie that I'll be home soon," Clove said before turning and entering the shop.

It was unusually a little crowded. There was a group of five or six girls browsing the New Arrival section, a man looking at the Classical Music CDs, and two middle aged men which Jackie was assisting by the counter.

"Hey," Clove greeted.

"Oh good. I got something to tell you later," Jackie told her before returning to the two men.

Clove nodded. "Okay, I'll just help the other costumers find their CDs."

Twenty minutes after, Jackie gave the guys their change. They giggled when Jackie smiled at them while handing them their purchases. The now empty shop buzzed with their muffled giggles as they shot occasional stares at Clove and Jackie. Clove smiled at them politely and thanked them before they went out the door.

"Finally," Jackie said tiredly. "They were lingering for quite some time, I thought they'd never leave."

Clove laughed. "Thanks for covering for me."

"I told you its okay," Jackie shrugged.

"Yeah well. Did you have something you want to tell me?" Clove asked.

Jackie smiled. "Yes. Are you still willing to do a sideline?"

"Of course. Why? Do you have one for me?"

"Remember the gig I told you about? The one I do from time to time?" Jackie asked playing with the bookmarkers displayed beside the cash register.

"Yeah. They gave you another job?"

"Yes. The band's going to perform in a big private party this coming Sunday and they invited me to help them since they're currently undermanned. Two members quit the band so it was no good. They're all girls by the way. I told them about you and they're thrilled to hear that you can actually play the piano. They've been meaning to search for a pianist because they really needed one."

"They want me to come as well?" Clove asked excitedly.

"Yes! They want you to dress up and play your piano for the show."

"I'd love that!" Clove said. Aside from the additional money that she'll earn from this, she was also excited to play her piano again. She was also kind of scared because she never really played in front of so many people before. But nonetheless, it made her feel like for once she wasn't the school geek, like she could escape and be someone else.

"Good, because I already told them that you're coming," Jackie said smiling.

"You covered for me and now you're giving me a sideline. How can I thank you enough?" Clove asked gratefully.

Jackie laughed. "Believe me Clove; I don't mind and you're actually doing me a favor by agreeing to join."

"Okay. I should be done with the piano contest by Friday so I'll have plenty of time to prepare. The piano contest might boost my self confidence, you know? But hey, when can I meet them?" Clove asked.

"Around Saturday I think. They said we'll have a meeting so that we can decide on which songs to play during the whole evening. We'll only do covers so it won't be hard to practice. We'll just have enough time for it. They'll tell you more when you meet them but that is the general plan," Jackie replied.

"Oh, and may I ask... Can you sing? We're in need for other vocalists," Jackie continued.

Clove can sing. She used to sing with her mother. Her voice is not the 'big' kind of voice like Jennifer Hudson or Kelly Clarkson. Hers was like a really soft one. Her voice was like the ones you hear from a lullaby.

"A little, I guess," Clove replied.

"Oh! That's really good to hear!"

She slung her bag onto her back before handing Clove the keys to the store. "I'll be going now."

"Oh yeah, thanks," Clove said at Jackie's retreating form.

The store bell rang and Clove was alone again. She caught herself staring at her injured hand and she was reminded of Cato. The things he told her at chemistry, she knew Cato read her files. How else can someone so insensitive and barely knew her throw such accurate words like he had seen Clove's deepest fears? She wanted to hate Cato for saying those things, to get angry for fucking nailing it but she just can't bring herself to do it. She was upset and deeply hurt but Clove knew it wasn't Cato that she blamed. She blamed herself.

...

"Let me get this straight," Marvel said adjusting his position on Cato's couch, "you mind fucked her to the brink of her breaking point and then you fired the school nurse?"

Cato rolled his eyes. Peeta and Marvel were over at his house. Again. They just showed up and just wouldn't let him be when they found out that the school nurse was dismissed because of him. Apparently, Marvel was planning to make a move on her even though she was nine years older because 'age means experience and she still looked hot despite her age, which is really not that old.'

"I told you, I didn't think it would affect her that much. I was merely trying to get a rise out of her because she freaking left me half-hard." Cato explained. "You have to admit that that was cruel no matter how you look at it. And the nurse totally deserved to get sacked. Clove could have bled to death if I didn't do her job."

"True," Marvel admitted.

"What is interesting though is how much you seem to care for this one, Cato," Peeta commented.

"What? Care for Van Roberts?" Cato asked. Peeta nodded with a smile that Cato knew.

"I don't care for her," Cato muttered like he'd never heard of such a ridiculous idea.

"You freaking bandaged the kid's hand! Plus, you tried to bribe her to make her your girl toy for the rest of the year," Peeta said.

Cato shook his head lightly. "The only reason why I tried to bribe her was because she wouldn't let me get anywhere near her pants. She's different from the others; she didn't want me," he said with an almost undetectable hint of hurt.

"So different that you've willingly stained your hands with blood to be her nurse. Why do you even care if she loses blood? You've ordered your guards to freaking throw people out several times before and let me tell you, some of them ended up needing the help of mental institutions but you never cared. Not once," Marvel joined in.

The images of Clove staring down at her bleeding hand and the look of pure hurt in her face when Cato told her that Spencer's family didn't want her flashed in his mind and his chest ached in response. Did he care? That was a little obvious now. But how much did he care?

"No. I'm just getting impatient that's all."

Flashes of what happened inside that classroom when Clove feigned defeat came back to him like a tidal wave. He could almost feel Clove against him again, her warmth, her scent, even the strong disappointment when Clove broke away from him. He was brought back to reality when Peeta spoke again.

"Maybe you need a break. Thresh and his older brother is having a big party thrown at their house and Thresh said we should go. There will be a lot of college students there and entertainers," Peeta announced in a cheery voice and Cato knew he was trying to get off the topic of Clove. Cato appreciated it.

"Like strippers?" Cato asked jokingly.

"Unfortunately, no. But I heard it's a live band. And the band consists of pretty girls," he replied.

"Sounds interesting. We should go," Marvel said looking genuinely interested.

"We should," Cato said. He could pay the entire live band to come and perform for him in his living room but he didn't care. He wanted to go out and enjoy himself like he usually did before a certain girl caught his attention. He needed a distraction, a little time out. He was getting too attached.

* * *

**Cato was being an asshole, ain't he? Lol. Ooohhh... Parties... This gon' be good. xD But anyway, thanks for reading! Reviews are appreciated. :)**


	14. Chapter Thirteen

**I simply do not know how a piano competition works, but yeah... I know there's like a 'selection' or something but I think the story will be really lost if I did the multiple selection type. So I'm sorry if I disappoint you on that. Lol. But anyway, enjoy! :)**

* * *

"And for our final performance," the announcer said, pausing to build up the suspense among the audience and pacing in front of the judges' table.

"Contestant number 10, from New Trier High!"

Katniss adjusted the corner of the banner that she had been holding together with Finnick and Annie. The words 'New Trier will crush you' were written in big bold red letters in the middle with a slightly smaller 'Clove Van Roberts eats piano scores, idiots' in green underneath it.

Everybody cheered when Clove came out from backstage. There were some "boo's" but it was overpowered by the screams and cheers. The whole venue was filled with New Trier High students because after all, the piano competition was being held at New Trier.

"That woman should fall off the platform and break her neck," Annie muttered to Katniss and Finnick who were seated beside her in the audience. "First, she insulted our school. Then she complimented that contestant from, what school was that? Oh whatever! She complimented her way too much! She completely doesn't want our school to win,"

"It's obvious she wants that school to win. She came from that school and they've been winning the competiton for three years straight now," Finnick told them in a low voice. They were about to verbally abuse the announcer a little more in low voices when Clove sat down the stool.

Katniss could see fear emitting from her cousin's body. She was shaking and she was completely nervous. Clove was beautiful today. She just wore a simple dress but simplicity brings out the best in her. She didn't wear any make up and Katniss was kind of jealous because she could never be as beautiful as Clove. She wasn't as talented as Clove either, but she loved her anyway. She's so proud of her cousin because she's an independent girl. At a young age, she already experienced so much pain, but still continued to live on. If she was Clove, she would've thought about ending her life. That's how strong Clove was, and Katniss loved and respected her for that.

Katniss was scared though. Clove's hand injury was still not in a good condition. But Clove being Clove, Katniss knew that she'll do great even with this hand injury.

Clove was breathing hard, Katniss can see. All the audience could see how nervous she is. Katniss was also nervous for her. But as soon as Clove closed her eyes, that's when Katniss knew. She was ready even with her hand injury getting in the way.

One note was all it took. With that one note, Clove was already in a trance. She was playing so beautifully that all of the audience was taken a back. It was mesmerizing, wonderful, and ecstatic. Every note was like magic.

"Damn. She's so good," Finnick commented while he kept on staring at Clove.

"Clove will win," Katniss said as she watched her cousin take on every note of Franz Liszt's Liebestraum. It was a very beautiful piece and it was hard to play Katniss guessed. But even though it's hard, she could still see Clove smile in between notes.

Clove finished off the classical piece with a wide smile painted across her face. Everyone applauded and gave her a standing ovation.

Everybody was in awe at the performance. They couldn't believe how great she was, even the judges couldn't believe it. She was the best out of all the contestants. Her performance was so flawless that you could mistake her for a professional.

The announcer called out all the contestants to come on stage as the judges made their decision. After a few minutes, one judge came on stage with an envelope that contains the number of the winner and gave it to the announcer. Everyone held their breaths as the announcer opened the envelope.

"Contestant number... TEN! We have a new champion! New Trier High School wins!"

Katniss, Annie and Finnick went wild cheering and jumping. They raised their banner as high as their arms would allow before hurrying down to the stage. Clove was being awarded on it with Ms. Trinket at her side. When they reached the edge of the stage, Clove smiled brightly at them before climbing down and meeting them.

Hands patted Clove's back and ruffled her hair. "Stop it!"

"I knew you'd win!" Katniss said happily.

"Yeah. Congratulations,Clo," Finnick said smiling too.

"That evil announcer almost cost you the win but I must say, her efforts were pointless from the start," Annie said.

They were all smiling widely at her as if they felt happier than her.

"Thanks," Clove told them. "And could you put that banner away please? It's embarrassing."

Annie, Katniss and Finnick stared at her wide eyed.

"How could you? We spent a good four hours conceptualizing, making drafts, choosing color, before finally painting this!" Katniss said faking a hurt expression.

Clove stared at her. "Kat, what is wrong with a simple 'go New Trier High' or 'Clove is no.1'?"

"Hmmm... Let me see. Oh right! They're boring," Annie said.

Clove sighed. "But it would have been so embarrassing if I didn't win."

"Which you did so stop worrying already and start celebrating," Finnick said smirking.

Clove shook her head lightly but gave in. She was surrounded by her friends in an auditorium where she just won a contest which would earn her a greater tuition subsidy. She was happy. She was definitely happy.

Several meters away, Cato stood watching Clove dodge her friends' attempt to put the banner they made around her shoulders. He had watched the entire contest and he felt a light feeling bubbling inside him as he watched Clove laugh and exchange jokes with her friends. After a few more minutes, he turned to his heels and walked out of the auditorium undetected.

...

When Jackie told her that they'd be joining a band, Clove thought she knew exactly what she was talking about. Turns out she didn't. Not exactly at least.

In front of her was the most bizarre group of people she had ever seen. They were all so beautiful. They're like the faces you would see in a magazine. Their porcelian skin looked so precious, Clove thought. These girls should be models, not musicians. At that moment, she could feel her ugliness coming out of her skin.

Clove had worked with a group of beautiful women before but this was nothing like it. Clove's jaw dropped as the guitarist shreded her guitar, and when the drummer played a sick beat. They're all so talented...and beautiful.

"They're so beautiful. I can't stay here, I feel so ugly," Clove said through gritted teeth as she nervously nudged Jackie beside her.

"You're beautiful Clove. And you're very talented, so don't worry." Jackie comforted Clove's bruised ego.

"Come on, I'll introduce you to Phillip. He's the manager of the band."

Phillip was handsome, alright. 'Why is everybody here so beautiful?' Clove thought to herself. He was wearing a grey shirt with black skinny jeans. He looked like a high school student. He looked so young and fresh. He smiled slightly when he saw Jackie approaching.

"Jackie, is this the girl?" Phillip asked eyeing Clove with mild interest when they reached him. Jackie returned the smile and nodded.

"She sure is."

"Clove Van Roberts," Clove said holding out her hand.

Instead of shaking it however, Phillip just stared at her. "You have a beautiful face, my girl. Innocent, but dangerous. I like that."

Clove looked uncertainly at Phillip and then at Jackie who was smiling lightly beside her.

"Take it as a compliment," Jackie told her and Clove forced a smile at Phillip.

"Err... Thanks?" Clove mumbled.

"Trust me dear, I know a pretty face when I see one. It would be such a waste if you just did a little background number from your piano. I heard you could sing. I would love to have you as the front woman. " Phillip asked smiling hopefully.

"Oh no. I can't sing that well. I'll mess up," Clove said.

Phillip hushed her up. "Relax my dear. You can talk to the other members for easy songs."

"I don't know..." Clove trailed off.

"I'm sure you'll do fine," Phillip said. Without waiting for Clove's answer, he turned to his left where the guitarist was playing and shouted, "Madge!"

A woman with flawless blonde hair looked in their direction before walking over to them. She was wearing a white dress with black laces on it.

"This better be good Phillip. Johanna is bitching again about her drumsticks being missing and somebody's head will roll if I don't go back to her soon," she said and Clove was amazed by how white her face looked. She was like a mannequin.

"This is Clove Van Roberts, Jackie's friend who will be joining us in the show next week," Phillip said and Clove smiled sheepishly.

"Is the piano ready? She's the pianist slash vocalist," Jackie said with a wink.

The woman called Madge stared at Clove. "You're going to play the piano and sing? Are you any good? I mean, not to sound rude but... We already had a lot of vocalists and they were pretty awful, I must say,"

"Yes, but I'm not really sure about the singing part. I don't have a high voice." Clove muttered. Se couldn't tell if she was angry at her or was trying to read her mind.

"I'm thinking we should give her a make-over. She has a beautiful face," Phillip said.

Madge nodded slightly and smiled. She looked so much friendlier when she did. "Nice eyes. Good profile too."

Clove returned the smile. "Thank you."

"Do that again," Madge said.

Clove looked at her confused. "Do what?"

"Smile," Madge said.

Clove reluctantly did as she was told albeit a little nervously and stiffly. Madge, Jackie, and Phillip laughed.

"You are adorable," Jackie said.

"You have a good smile but we have to work on bringing it out naturally though," Madge said.

"And be confident, my dear. You have a right to be so," Phillip added.

...

Clove spent the rest of the day with Madge as she explained how they will perform in the party.

"The house is almost like a mansion, with a vast garden, a pool, a fountain, and a really large house. I heard that they will have like a few other performers like mimes and stuff. We have to do our best to entertain the audience in our own special way. We can not, repeat not, be outdoned by mimes. We will position ourselves in a different location from the mimes. They'll be like in the garden area, and we'll be inside the mansion. I heard there's a bar or a lounge inside the house, that's where we'll perform. We can leave our posts occasionally to go to the bathroom or during emergencies but we have to stay there and entertain the guests," Madge explained.

"So... All the drunk people will go there?" Clove muttered.

"I don't think so... Maybe not all of them. I think it's where the people would like to chill out. It'll be nice." Madge said.

"I've never done this before," Clove admitted.

Madge smiled at her, "Don't worry. It will be alright. Music can do fascinating things you know. It can make you forget the people around you once you start playing. Look at Johanna there," Madge pointed towards the girl with dark brown hair that was playing the drums for what seems like forever.

"Just look at her... She's like that for 4 hours straight. She forgets about everything whenever she plays the drums. I think it's beautiful you know. Having something to hold on to when you're alone. Just be yourself and do your best."

"Okay, I will." Clove agreed. "How about the songs?"

"The songs? It will be pretty easy. We'll only perform 10 songs which is piece of cake. We're only doing covers so you won't have to memorize anything hard. We can talk about the whole set list when Johanna's done. Taylor Swift, Lenka, The Hush Sound, Ingrid Michaelson... The list goes on. We need to find songs that will fit your voice, and I think songs by those artists will fit you just perfectly. " Madge told Clove.

Clove sang for Madge a couple of minutes ago because she needed to know what kind of songs they have to play in order for Clove's voice to fit in. Clove knew those artists really well because some of them are famous already.

"Oh, okay. I know their songs a little bit," Clove said.

"That's perfect! We have to practice right away! This will be really fun." Madge said giddily.

"Oh, be right back Clove, I have to tune my bass now." Madge continued.

"What? I thought you're the guitarist?" Clove asked with a confused look on her face.

"Oh no. I'm the bassist. I only play around with the guitar. Jackie's going to be our guitarist." Madge said while she walked away.

'Wow, they're all very talented,'

...

"Surprise!"

Clove's eyes were wide with shock as she took in the scene before her. Uncle Frank, Aunt Marie, Katniss, Finnick, and Annie, stood at the dining area where food and drinks (non-alcoholic) graced the wooden table. The familiar banner that Katniss and her friends had made for her hung low across the ceiling while a few balloons and ribbons were tied to the dining chairs for decoration.

"What is this?" Clove asked but was clearly very pleased with everything.

"This is a victory party!" Katniss answered happily.

"Congratulations for winning the contest. You've been working so hard for school and your job at the bookshop," Aunt Marie said as she engaged Clove in a rib-crushing hug.

"Congratulations Clo. We're very proud of you," Uncle Frank added while patting Clove's head. Aunt Marie still hadn't let go.

"Thanks," Clove managed to say despite the lack of air.

"Mom, you're killing him," Katniss said. Aunt Marie finally let go and swatted her daughter's arm wiping tears.

Finnick and Annie stood beside Katniss smiling at him. Finnick mouthed 'we hung it' and pointed towards the banner that they made. Clove smiled.

"Kids, dig in!" Aunt Marie said as she handed everyone plates and eating utensils.

Beef and potatoes, salad and fruit punch that Aunt Marie obviously prepared was on the table sitting beside the big pepperoni pizza and bowl of chips that Clove thought Finnick and Annie bought on their way here. She smiled.

It was a pleasant night. Aunt Marie insisted that everyone get a second helping of each dish complaining about how kids these days are so skinny and anorexic. After dinner, the group sat in the living room listening to Uncle Frank as he told his story about how he and his friends stumbled into a gang war back in middle school. They laughed and listened intently to him while he gave them the full details on their 'James Bond escape' and how it saved them while Aunt Marie and Annie put the dishes away.

How could she think that the Everdeen's didn't want her? They had always been and still were great to her. Clove found herself thinking about the things Cato had said. It wasn't true that she didn't have anything aside from her grades. Looking back at what Cato told her the day she hurt her hand, Clove realized that those were exactly the fears that were constantly looming over her like a dark cloud. She knew they were her family and she had great friends too but the feeling that she may be an outsider was always there. She just never let it bother her too much.

"I think they had enough action tonight Frank. It's getting late and these kids need their sleep," Aunt Marie muttered after some time.

Her husband reluctantly rose and ushered their guests to the front door. Muttering quick good byes and goodnights, Annie, and Finnick got inside their cars and drove off.

Clove knew that lingering too much on depressing thoughts would do her no good. She had a wonderful evening and nothing was going to ruin it. Damn that Cato for causing all this moment's angst in her without even having to be there.

...

Cato sat in front of his laptop with his chin on the table while staring at the laughing face of a girl that he just can't seem to get out of his thoughts.

"You've been sitting there for almost an hour. Unmoving. Are you still alive, Cato?" Peeta asked facing the big flat screen TV while he and Marvel tried to kill each other in a game of Tekken.

"Yes," Cato answered lazily while he continued to stare. "I think I should talk to my old man so that he'll make the classes at New Trier like, seven days a week," he said monotonously while his head bounced on the table with his chin hitting it every time he spoke.

Peeta and Marvel laughed lightly, their faces being illuminated by flashes of light coming from the television screen. "What for?"

"I don't know," Cato answered.

"If you like that girl so much, send out students to get her tomorrow and be done with it," Marvel said while trying to pound Peeta's virtual head.

"Maybe I should, but no. I won't," Cato muttered mindlessly.

"Seriously man. You need to get laid. You're losing your mind," Marvel said.

"Where were you anyway? That girl with big boobs was looking for you earlier," Peeta muttered and shouted a mild curse as he lost the match.

Cato gave out a deep sigh. He wanted to see Clove now. NOW. He knew where she lived but it was really late. Would Katniss's parents believe him if he told them that he was with the pest control unit and he should check out a specific room in their house? That's stupid. Maybe he'll just have to sneak in. Or hire someone to kidnap her. Wait, Katniss would immediately suspect him...

"Hey, are you listening to me?" Peeta asked walking over to him. Cato ignored him and just continued staring. Peeta rolled his eyes before closing the picture file. He looked at Cato again.

"Where were you?" he asked again.

"I was... out."

"Dude, it's no use. Cato uses Van Roberts' picture as his wallpaper and screensaver too," Marvel told him and indeed, Clove Van Roberts' face was still there being ogled by his friend.

He sighed. "Out where?"

Cato cleared his throat. "Well... I've-I've been really uhm... I was bored with nothing else to do..."

Marvel smiled excitedly and suddenly said, "You watched!"

"He watched what?" Peeta asked looking at Marvel.

Marvel smirked before answering. "I heard Clove Van Roberts was going to join some piano contest and I think it was held this afternoon. Right Cato?"

"Ummm...," Cato said stalling before he glanced at Peeta. He was going to say he went to the museum of some sort or watched Discovery channel or something. Damn you Marvel!

"Oh my God! This is precious! You actually, voluntarily went to that geeky contest!" Marvel said laughing with Peeta snickering beside him. "Man I wish I was there to take a picture!"

"It was not a geeky contest!" Cato said, and glared at them. Why was he friends with these people again?

"Remember that girl Amaya? Or was it Beatrice?" Peeta asked Marvel.

"Beatrice. I think it was Beatrice... Or Mandy?" Marvel said uncertainly.

"No, Mandy is that girl we met at the beach. I'm talking about Amaya or something who transferred schools after three weeks in New Trier because of Cato," Peeta explained.

"Shit dude! I totally remember that! And I still think it's Beatrice," Marvel said amused.

"Right. So, you remember when Beatrice was going out with Cato and she was all so happy because she thought he's in love with her?" Peeta asked.

Marvel nodded with his face showing clear signs of amusement. "Yeah. The bitch thought she was on top of the world. Haha..."

"Well, remember that time when she desperately wanted Cato to go to the ballet with her and Cato was all 'I'd rather eat my tires'—"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. She was fucking persistent and Cato got to fly somewhere in Europe to hide from her constant nagging."

"Talk about wasted efforts though. Cato's guard kicked her out and she never came back," Peeta commented.

"Cato and his sexual escapades," Marvel said nodding in agreement.

"Make fun of my life. Please, why don't you?" Cato said. They ignored him.

"I don't understand why you two always gang up on me these days like you are any better. Is there even a point on bringing up that girl?" he asked annoyed.

"Because it is funny seeing you being eaten up by the new girl; no, I'm a changed man since middle school started; and yes. There is a point," Peeta said while Cato stared at him.

"Beatrice couldn't bribe you with sex to take her to the ballet yet you went and watched Clove's little contest without anything in return. She didn't even invite you, did she?"

There was a pause before Cato shook his head. Clove didn't even tell him that she was in the contest. He wouldn't have known about it if he hadn't looked through the files at the principal's office. Cato knew that he was in no position to expect anything from Clove but he can't help but feel, wish, he was something else in Clove's life other than the annoying lab partner who keeps hitting on her.

"She overestimated her worth," Cato told Peeta before turning to Marvel, "and how did you even know about news that was actually school-related?"

"Oh come on, Cato. I know everything that happens in the school including that kind of stuff," Marvel said proudly. "And don't think you can change the topic that easily."

"Okay. I went. So what if I did? What's wrong with a guy in high school going to see a high school piano competition? It's completely normal," Cato said defensively.

"It is normal when Finnick Odair went to see it, but you? I've known you since before you learned how to walk and never in my wildest imagination have I thought that you'd be actually doing that kind of thing even once in your life. You can't flirt in a place like that," Peeta said.

"You're making this such a big deal. I went. Period. Stop acting like I'm suddenly Mother Teresa," Cato said.

"So you went. Did you watch?" Marvel asked.

"Of course I watched. What else would I do there?" Cato replied.

Marvel shrugged. "I don't know. Sleep?"

Cato glared at him and was about to retort when Peeta spoke.

"Did she win?"

Cato smiled brightly, staring off at nothing in particular.

"She did. She was fantastic."

"You did congratulate her, didn't you?" Marvel asked.

"No, she didn't even see me. I wasn't planning to show myself in the first place," Cato said. He felt weird going in to the auditorium earlier that was void of students from New Trier High School except for a few geeks and Clove's friends. He almost went straight back out of the door but after he caught sight of Clove nervously roaming around the side of the back stage, he found himself taking a seat near the back and watching the entire thing. He didn't talk to anyone for almost two hours and he had to endure the screaming and cheering of the crowd all throughout but after seeing that smile on Clove's face after she won, Cato decided it was all worth it.

Cato was so deep in thought that he didn't notice Peeta and Marvel staring at him without any more of the amusement they had earlier.

"Do you think," Peeta whispered to Marvel.

Marvel grinned at him. "Nah. It's too early to say."

"Maybe. But I think this will be something big. I'll keep an eye open," Peeta said and pulled out his cell phone before getting up and walking out of the room.

"Where are you going?" Marvel asked.

"I just need to do something."

...

Katniss glared at her phone when it suddenly rang from beside her computer. She had been writing her paper for History and she forgot to turn off her phone so that she wouldn't be disturbed. She grabbed it and found that she had a message from an unknown number.

_I need your help._

Katniss contemplated for a moment whether or not she should reply to this person. Help? Who could possibly need help and go texting her of all people? Curiosity was too strong to fight so Katniss typed in a reply.

_That depends on who you are and what kind of help you want.  
_  
Her phone was ringing again after a minute and Katniss opened the new message.

_This will involve two people, one of which I'm sure is very important to you._

Katniss frowned. Whoever this person she was talking to, she obviously knew Katniss. There were many ways to get her number so he could be anyone from school but that only made her wonder even more what all these could be.

_Talk to me._

Katniss anxiously waited for a reply or a phone call. She could no longer concentrate on her paper even if she tried picking up from the sentence she left hanging earlier. Suddenly there was her message alert tone again and Katniss quickly opened the new message.

_We'll meet some other day._

* * *

**Katniss and the anonymous number... Who could it be? I bet you already know. Hahaha! Anyway, thank you so much for reading! :) Is it good? Bad? What? Tell me what you think! :) **


	15. Chapter Fourteen

The band rehearsal was great. It all went smoothly and they're all happy about the result. Clove's singing was good and it made her happy. Fortunately, she knew all of the songs they were playing so it wasn't really hard.

It was Sunday morning and Clove was in a _revealing_ oufit that Madge picked from the dressing room after the rehearsal. It was too much for Clove. She was bare under the fitted white embroidered blazer. She wore a black crepe shorts to complete the whole look. The outfit was great, but not in her small body frame. She has... boobs, but that's not what she's worried about. She was worried about her modesty. It was really revealing and she never wore anything like it before.

"Madge, this is too much. I can't wear something like this," Clove frowned.

"It's alright Clove. You look great. Just get comfortable with it." Madge replied with a smile. Clove sighed.

"But..."

"NO BUT's! Come here, let me put the finishing touch on that make up of yours," Madge hushed her and asked her to come in front of her to finish the make up.

Oh right... That's why her face was thick. Madge put some make up on her a while ago before fitting the damn blazer. They were practically doing this so that they won't have to panic on Sunday. Jackie and Johanna were on the other side of the room, picking some clothes and shoes for their own _sexy_ look.

Clove sat on the chair in front of Madge. Madge was staring at her face before grabbing her make up kit and taking out some black stuff. She started to put the liquid eyeliner on Clove's eyelids. She then put a light black shadow on both eyes to make it more smokey. She added some mascara and it was all done. Madge smiled triumphantly before extracting her camera phone.

"This needs to be preserved. Is that okay?" she asked holding out her phone in front of her ready to take her picture.

"Sure. I don't mind," Clove said and waited until Madge was done taking her picture. She showed her the picture before putting her phone away.

"I'll be using this make-up on you tonight. Here's the address of the house," Madge said handing Clove a piece of paper. She read it and found that the house was in a part of Chicago that she hadn't been to before.

"What time should I be there?" he asked.

"The party starts at eight so... be there at around six. Just tell the guard that you're with the band and give him this," she said as she handed Clove a piece of red paper with a drawing of a crescent moon and a rose, "that's the invitation. We'll need some time to find our station and to dress up so make sure you come on time."

Clove placed the piece of paper inside her pocket. "We're getting dressed there?"

"Yes. The owner of the house has given us one of the guest rooms to be our dressing room. We will be bringing all the outfits and instruments so you just need to show up with your beautiful face," she said with a wink.

Clove suddenly felt nervous. "We'll be there the whole night?"

"Uhuh. It's a rich people's party and I'm pretty sure it will last till early in the morning, but I think we can go home after midnight." Madge said.

She hadn't even thought of the people who will watch her. Judging from what Madge said, there will be a lot of people, rich people who might not like her performance. What if she mess it all up? What if they make fun of her? She couldn't really afford to make any mistakes since it was Phillip's group's name that was on the line.

"Don't worry. You'll do just fine. Jackie will be there too remember?" she said reassuringly when she noticed Clove's sudden silence. "I think we're done here so you can wash off the make up if you want. Go home and have lunch. We'll see you at the venue this afternoon. And make sure you practice everything."

Clove nodded and slowly made her way to the bathroom. Just one night. She sighed and turned the faucet on.

"And try not to think about tonight too much," she heard Madge from the other side of the door while she splashed the cold water on her face, making the make up run.

...

Katniss passed the last plate and Clove carefully placed it inside the kitchen cabinet. They just ate lunch without Uncle Frank and Aunt Marie. The couple who were planning their night out for quite some time now left a couple of hours before Clove reached home. Aunt Marie cooked a small dinner for Katniss and Clove before leaving to make sure that the girls won't starve while she was away. She didn't approve much of pizzas or takeouts.

"She told me to tell you that you should be careful going home. She almost made me promise to put a knife in your bag so that you can protect yourself but dad said you'll be in trouble if anyone caught you with a knife," Katniss said.

Clove laughed softly. "She acts as if I'm a going to get raped. I'm all grown up and can handle myself."

"She's just worried. She almost didn't want to go out so that dad can pick you up but thankfully she realized you are already an independent woman," Katniss said.

"I know," Clove muttered. She closed the cabinet and sat on one of the dining room chairs.

"I wish I could come to that party too, to watch you play and sing and stuff. I think it's going to be interesting," Katniss said taking a seat too. "And I'll be home alone, it will be boring."

"Yeah, I wish you could. I really feel nervous right now, I might throw up while doing the gig later," Clove said. She wasn't able to finish her lunch because of her lack of appetite. She was sure that the pasta Aunt Marie cooked tasted really good but to her, she felt like she was eating paper and straw.

"I guess 'good luck' is the best I have for you. That and my bike. You can use it," Katniss said.

Clove smiled at her. "Thanks."

...

Cato fixed his neck tie in front of the mirror and smoothed out his black tailcoat. He made a few turns examining himself from every angle and smiled with satisfaction.

"You are so gay," Peeta said as he watched his friend twirl around in front of the mirror. He was also wearing the same suit as Cato but without the intricately folded silk white rose on the chest pocket that the other had.

"Hypocrite," Cato muttered while finishing his look. Peeta laughed.

"Fair enough. But we'll be late unless we go now," he told Cato who was still making a few adjustments on his hair.

"Oh, they can wait," Cato said.

...

This wasn't a house. A house had four walls, a triangular rooftop, a tree with a swing made from an old tire and a garage where the family car is parked. Clove's idea of a house was so different from what was in front of her because this will fit eight of Clove's idea of a house.

After getting through the security guy who inspected her bag, and Katniss' bike before letting her pass, Clove was faced with a long driveway that elevates slightly up towards one of the biggest house she'd ever seen. Along the driveway was grass and ornamental plants and trees. There were people running here and there putting up lights and candles in the garden and fixing other things. Tables and chairs decorated in expensive looking fabrics were arranged in the garden with people fixing small bundles of red roses and candles on each table.

Clove walked towards the house dragging her bike and saw Phillip by the door talking to Jackie, both already in their outfits.

Jackie was wearing a jumpsuit which featured sheer black lace, an aggressively plunging neckline, and an open back.

"Hey," Jackie greeted her.

"I didn't think it was going to be like... this," Clove said motioning towards the grand preparation everyone was so busy making.

"They're really going for it," Jackie agreed looking around them.

"Don't be intimidated. We are the highlight of all these along with the mimes so we should keep our cool," Phillip said. "And that means no one will touch the alcohol."

Clove and Jackie laughed.

"I'm not planning to," Clove said.

"Yes sir," Jackie added.

"Good. Now Jackie, take Clove up to our dressing room so that she can get ready. Tell everyone that I want them ready and down here in an hour so that we can make final arrangements," Phillip said.

Jackie nodded before leading Clove in the house. Inside was even more beautiful. The first thing that Clove noticed was the big bouquets of fresh red roses being put in all the tables and on the floor. It was a little dim with only candle lights illuminating the vast space. A giant grandfather clock stood directly in front of the stairs. Clove watched the pendulum swing back and forth hypnotically.

"Here," Jackie said as she led Clove up the elaborate staircase made of wood and marble.

The second floor was still lined by candles but was less decorated compared to the floor below it and the garden. They walked for a few minutes along the long corridor lined with closed wooden doors until they reached one with a white paper taped on it where a big letter 'X' was written in dark red ink.

"This is it," Jackie announced before opening the door.

The light was bright inside. The bed has been dumped with make-up kits, dresses, Madge's bass guitar and their bandmates getting ready sat all over it. A large mirror has been crammed in the corner and was being used by Johanna. All the other furniture that was in the bedroom had been pushed to the side to make room for the group's outfits and other stuff.

Madge was already in her sleek red cocktail dress and make-up.

"There's Clove," Johanna said pointing towards her.

"Hey Johanna," Clove greeted the girl in blue corset and fishnet stockings.

"Am I late?"

"No, you're just in time," Madge said. She reached for the costume rack beside her and fished out a few items. "Here, change into these and I will help you with your make-up and hair after. Everyone's already changed so the bathroom should be free."

"Okay," Clove said accepting the clothes before making her way to the bathroom.

"Phillip wants us to be ready in an hour," Jackie announced to the people in the room before proceeding to fix her own make-up.

Clove closed the bathroom door behind her and started to strip. Shee unfolded the black crepe shorts that Madge gave her before hastily putting it on. It was a little tight but it fitted her nicely. She grabbed the white embroidered blazer and looked at it. She was going bare under this blazer. Meaning no bra, no shirt, no nothing! Clove sighed as she unclasped her bra and put on the blazer. After putting the blazer on, she saw a pair fingerless gloves. She took it and put it on her hands to cover up the bandage.

When she got back out, her bandmates were already done. They seem to be already used to dressing up for their shows quickly. Clove spotted Madge with Johanna and Jackie at the same corner near the clothes rack and walked over to them.

"Well look at you," Jackie said.

"You look really good," Johanna commented impressed.

"Thanks," Clove said.

"I bet you'll look even better after we've done your hair and make-up," Madge said before gently pushing her down to the chair in front of the mirror.

After a few minutes of doing her hair in a messy updo, applying make-up and using liberal amounts of hair spray; Madge announced that she was ready.

"Let's all go downstairs. Phillip is waiting for us," Madge said before ushering a everyone to the door.

...

As soon as the clock's hour hand pointed at eight, the guests came pouring in. They were all wearing tailcoats and ball gowns with top hats, canes, and even masks. A few gasps of admiration were heard as they entered the candlelit garden and were greeted by the groups of performers stationed in it. Though the guests started to pool around the band, amused by their really daring outfits. They needed to wear these outfits in order to fit in the 'Circus' theme.

Many of the guests took their seats and settled in the lounge while a few others went to the other stations to get drinks and stuff. The band was still setting up their instruments so that when they perform, there will be no more problem. Some other tech guys were helping them setting up their gears.

They started playing their covers when the whole thing was set up. Thirty minutes into the night and more male guests started to watch the band's station. They were giggling and whispering while shooting them flirty smiles and winks.

The grandfather clock that was in the living room sounded loudly signaling that it was nine o'clock already. They rested for minute.

"I guess, we'll play more than 10 songs, eh?" Jackie told the other girls after drinking his bottled water.

"I guess so. We have to do impromptos. The whole evening, we'll switch up at some point. One by one we will play our instruments so that the guests won't be bored, okay?" Madge said and the other three noded in agreement.

...

"This is so cool," Cato muttered to Peeta excitedly in a low voice as he watched the mime in front of the fountain do his act.

They just came in and saw that almost all of the guests were gathered around the fountain and but there were others entering the lounge. They hurriedly made their way to the fountain to see what's happening but they couldn't push through to the front. They gave up and just agreed to chill out on the lounge where the bar is.

"I think there are other performers here as well. I could see a girl in fishnets," Peeta said as they made their way in to the lounge.

Cato's gaze was caught by a female performer wearing a white revealing blazer. Half of her upper body is showing, but it didn't make her look like a slut. She was singing a song that Cato recognized. It was a song by the band called The Hush Sound, it was a good song and the girl singing it, did the song justice. He was still staring at the girl. She was beautiful and oddly looked familiar...

"Glad you could make it," a voice said tearing Cato's eyes away from the girl in white.

"This is quite an extraordinary party, Thresh," Peeta said.

"Yeah," Cato absent-mindedly said.

"Yeah, well my brother and his friends in college wanted something different so they put together this vaudeville slash Moulin Rouge themed party," Thresh said. "You two along with Marvel are the only high school students who were invited to come."

"Thank you," Peeta said smiling. "Where's Marvel? He told us he'll meet us here because Cato would surely make us all late but it looks like we were earlier than him, even though we are still a little late."

Thresh laughed. "I saw him earlier by the garden but I think his father called him or something."

Like Marvel, Cato and Peeta were long time friends with Thresh too although he spent some of his high school years in Europe. He had adopted an accent that was British but didn't lose his American accent as well.

"Code red?" Peeta asked.

"No, I don't think so although I would love to see the look of pure terror on little Marvel's face," Thresh said using his British accent to emphasize Marvel's name.

"Yeah. We really appreciate it but I think I want to check out what's happening there at the stage," Cato said hastily and quickly walked to a table a few meters away from the stage without waiting for Peeta or Thresh.

There she was, seated gracefully on the stool was the girl in white playing the piano while singing. One word entered Cato's mind as he watched her play, beautiful. He stood there eyes transfixed at the pianist when another word entered his mind.

_Clove_

Clove's earlier nervousness and fear was beginning to evaporate. She was playing her piano again, and she was singing. She focused on every note and tried to ignore the faces watching her. Her hand that got hurt in chemistry was starting to sting a little but she ignored it. She momentarily looked up at Madge who was playing her bass. She looked at the crowd for a minute but regretted it immediately.

Clove's hand pressed the wrong piano key when recognition dawned at her. In a black suit was Cato freaking Evans, he was staring at Clove with such intensity that she could feel daggers being thrown at her. Her luck was just freaking great, wasn't it?

Cato smirked when he saw that the girl recognized him. Now he was certain that she was indeed Clove. Clove ignored him and continued playing as if nothing happened.

The giddy feeling at Cato's stomach was back and he felt like he just got a hit by lightning. He was happy and suddenly bouncy and he couldn't understand why. He shrugged it off because, well, he didn't give a damn. Not at the moment at least.

Peeta and Thresh were at his side after a moment, tapping his shoulder to announce their presence.

"That blonde girl looks sexy with that red dress," Peeta commented. He stared up at Madge who was playing the bass with her eyes closed.

"You guys should stay and enjoy this. They're a really great band." Thresh said.

"I'm sure I will," Cato said not taking his eyes off at the pianist/vocalist sitting on the stool. He was amused to watch Clove in this attire while trying her best so as to not look at Cato and go on with the show.

"Great. Now enjoy yourselves. I'll be greeting some of the other guests but I'll be back later," Thresh said motioning to the small group of people who just entered the house.

"That vocalist looks hot," Peeta commented as if seeing the girl for the first time.

"Back off Mellark. She's mine," Cato muttered.

"Oh? I don't see your name written on her yet," Peeta said smiling a little.

Cato smirked. "The part of her body where I wrote my name is a little too private for you to see. But you don't need to see that, just look at her closely and you'll know she's mine."

Cato and Peeta watched the vocalist as she continued playing. Cato wanted to find the person that fixed Clove's hair and picked out those clothes because damn, Clove looked so hot that he was practically, albeit unknowingly, begging Cato to grab her from the show, put her in a sack, and run off to Cato's car where he could take her home in five minutes if they went on top speed.

"Shit," Cato heard Peeta mutter beside him as recognition came. "That's Van Roberts!"

"I told you she is mine," Cato said.

"Okay, but she's obviously performing. I didn't know she did this kind of thing," Peeta said amused.

"That girl wants to go to college badly," Cato told him while still staring at Clove.

"She would wear make up and that ridiculously revealing outfit then perform for a party but she won't sleep with you even if you bribe her. I doubt you'll be marking her anytime soon Cato," Peeta said casting a quick glance at his friend.

Cato just smiled. "It wouldn't be as interesting if she weren't like that."

Before they knew it, the clock was ringing for the second time which indicated them that they can rest for a minute or so. It was Jackie's turn to play solo with her guitar. After her, it was Clove's turn. She practiced "Can't help falling in love" by Elvis Presley many times and she felt like she needs to play this song.

"Hey, can I take a break while Jackie is playing her guitar? I need to go to the bathroom," Clove told Madge, who's currently seated at one of the amplifiers.

"Okay. I'm sure playing for that much is tiring. Just make sure you will come back on time," Madge said.

Clove muttered a quick 'thanks' and made her way to the bathroom. She needed to go against the sea of people who were headed for the opposite direction but she wanted to check her hand in case the wounds had somehow reopened because of all the playing she did. She struggled before finally reaching the door to the bathroom and opening it.

Cato whipped around for Clove but he lost her after the clock signaled ten o'clock. The sea of black coats and multicolored gowns was carrying him to the door as they followed some mimes but Cato was sure that Clove didn't go with them when they headed for the door.

"Did you see where she went?" Cato asked Peeta quickly.

Peeta frowned looking around amidst the crowd. "I think I saw her heading to the opposite direction but I lost her too."

"Fuck!" Cato cursed. If Clove was going to run away then he wouldn't be able to find her and stop her. Cato had a lot of ideas on what to do with Clove in this situation and hell, he didn't want the girl leaving without having put at least one of those ideas into reality. The girl could be serving him right now.

"I'll check the garden just in case she slipped past us without being noticed," Peeta said before letting the crowd lead him away.

"Okay," Cato said. He didn't think that Clove would get past him without being noticed but he didn't say anything.

The hallway was almost empty now and Cato could walk freely again. He almost missed the blur of white that turned left at the end of the hallway. He smiled and made his way towards that direction. Upon reaching the fork, he slowly took a peek to see if Clove was there. The hall was empty but he could see light coming from an open door about four meters from where he stood.

As he walked closer, he could hear the sound of running water splashing against the marble sink and going down the drain. He stopped beside the door and he heard someone gasp and hiss from inside. He would recognize that voice anywhere.

In front of the sink with the water running was Clove. She was holding her hands out to the water while a pair of white fingerless gloves, which he recognized as what the girl was wearing earlier, sat quietly beside the sink.

The squeaky sound of a tap being turned was heard and the sound of running water was gone. Cato watched as Clove determinedly bandaged her hand using her other hand and knot the bandage with the help of her teeth.

"Do you need help with that?"

Clove was startled and shot her gaze towards Cato who was standing by the door. She was even prettier up close where Cato could clearly see Clove's smokey eyes and the effect of the make-up. What she was wearing also suited her so well. Clove was the perfect embodiment of beauty. She gave the knot one final securing tug with her teeth, making Cato gulp as he watched her bare the white teeth against pink lips before answering.

"I'm all done," she said before picking the gloves up and walking towards the door.

Cato blocked the path with his arms against the door frame and Clove tried to force her way out without success. "Why such haste?"

Clove rolled her eyes. "Cato, listen. I don't have time for your little games. Please get out of my way."

"What if I don't want to?"

"I'm working! You'll get me in trouble."

Cato smirked before pushing Clove back further in the bathroom and shutting the door behind him. The girl seriously needed to gain some pounds.

"Fuck you!" Clove muttered angrily when she regained her balance. She was never the one who curses and swears at people. But Cato was being an asshole right now, and she just couldn't help it.

Cato laughed. "That's sounds like a really a good idea."

Clove flushed before sighing deeply. "Come on. You can torture me at school, send a freaking request out to the other students to get me, or let out the dogs on me but not here Cato. Not here."

The bandaged hand of Clove slightly jerked and Cato didn't miss the pained expression that crossed Clove's face for a moment.

"Does it hurt?" Cato asked eyeing Clove's hand.

"Not much but it does a little when I move it," Clove replied.

"You wouldn't have to work here tonight if you accepted my offer."

"You would have me working overtime if I did."

Cato laughed again. "Are you flirting?"

"No. I'm merely giving you an honest opinion," Clove said shrugging her shoulders.

"That's quite right but I'm sure you'll get used to it if only you give it a chance. Anyway, can I ask you something?"

Get used to it. Yeah right. "You've already asked me many and I'm really in a hurry."

"I want you to answer this one honestly."

"You wouldn't know if I'm lying or not," Clove said. She wanted to get out of here as soon as possible. Jackie's solo flight must be over by now. "I could tell you a lot of crap and you don't know me enough to tell if I'm lying."

"Believe me, I would know. Just give me your word that you would answer honestly and you will have my word that I will let you out in return," Cato said.

Clove was surprised but was relieved to hear it. "Okay. Whatever that is, you have my word that I will answer truthfully."

Cato smiled. He straightened his posture and leaned his back against the closed door in a relaxed position with his arms crossed. Cocky bastard.

"When we are together, what do you feel?" Cato muttered slowly.

Clove frowned. "That's a vague question. Do you mean when you are trying to ruin my life or when uhm...you are trying to ruin my life?"

It was Cato's turn to roll his eyes. "No, that's not what I meant."

"Really? Then what?"

Cato straightened up from his leaning position and slowly walked towards Clove. He continued walking and Clove reluctantly took steps backward until her back hit the bathroom wall. Cato placed a hand on the wall beside Clove's face and lean in close, stopping when he was only inches away from her.

"What I meant was," Cato started and Clove blinked while trying to look away as she felt the other's breath against her face, "When we're close like this."

Clove tried to stop herself from shaking nervously but Cato was just too close. Her arms were hanging limply at her sides, useless and forgotten. She suddenly felt Cato's other arm slowly snaking around her waist and she squirmed a little to try to get free. She regretted it when the movement caused her thigh to brush against the other's crotch and Cato let out a gasp.

What the hell was happening?

"How do you feel Clove? I can feel you and smell you. How does it feel to be in this position? Answer me now Van Roberts."

Clove closed her eyes. Hell. Why did she agree to answer truthfully? There were about a dozen sensations running through her and she didn't want to admit that she was feeling more than half of them while her lab partner, was pinning her against the wall of a closed deserted bathroom. How was she supposed to say that her heart was racing and she felt really, really weird in a very disturbing way that she didn't want to give any further thought?

"You gave your word. How do you feel?" Cato asked again leaning in even more.

The odds of someone coming in to use the bathroom were very low since everyone was at the lounge watching her other bandmates. She could push Cato away and engage him in a fist fight but even if she did win, Thresh's family would probably sue her and Jackie and the others would be in trouble.

Clove kept her eyes shut. "Nervous."

Cato cracked a smile. "Go on."

Clove took a deep breath and the scent of Cato's hair filled her lungs. "Hot."

"And?"

Clove gulped. The arm around her waist was pulling her closer and maybe... she's losing herself.

"And... Really..."

"Really...?"

"Scared."

Clove chanced a glance at Cato's face and was met by deep blue orbs clouded with... something. She swallowed nervously and tried to raise her arms, sliding them upwards against the wall so that they wouldn't touch Cato's very close body. She placed her hands between them, palms down against Cato's chest. This had to end.

"Can you get off now?"

Cato raised an eyebrow at her but didn't say anything. It felt like a decade before Cato was reluctantly pulling back. He walked to the sink and leaned on it with his head bowed down. Clove silently watched as he ran his fingers through his hair dramatically.

"I did what I said I would. I'm leaving now."

There was the sound of the door opening and closing gently and Cato was alone.

* * *

**It's kinda funny that I gave Thresh a British accent. I wonder what that sounds like. Haha! But anyway, did you like it or...? Tell me what you think guys! Thank you so much reading and I really do hope that you like this fic. :) I'm quite motivated today, so I might write Chapter 15 right now. Heehee. :) **


	16. Chapter Fifteen

Ten o'clock. It was a Saturday night. The living room was dark with just the light coming from the television illuminating the coffee table littered with DVD cases, popcorn, and cans of carbonated drink. Katniss sighed.

She watched as the face of the babysitter contorted with fright when she received another call from the stranger. Like all the other DVDs in their collection, Katniss had already seen this movie at least twice. When she first heard of this movie, she felt really intrigued and excited. She wanted to know if the girl would live or die by the end of it but after watching the first scene where she was running which revealed she was on the track team, she kind of knew she'd outrun the stranger.

Still, the idea of a stalker-ish murderer who contacts his victim was still good so there she was, sitting home alone and watching the said movie.

Suddenly, she was reminded of the text message she got. She had a feeling that she knew who it was from and even though she did, she was surprised at herself for not feeling bad about it.

The girl was now opening the door of the house, unlocking the security alarm.

"Oh that's right. Go on and open the damn door so you'll get killed!" Katniss muttered and reached for the bowl of popcorn.

...

A few minutes went by before Cato was joining his friends' table. "Hey," he greeted as he took a seat next to Peeta.

"Look who decided to show," Thresh said in his British accent motioning towards Marvel who was seating next to him.

"Well hello there Davis. Where have you been?" Cato asked and grabbed Peeta's drink. He chanced a glance at Clove before taking a sip and turning to Marvel.

"I just needed to run a quick errand for papa," Marvel replied with an air of tiredness. He turned to the performing group. "Damn. I'd do anyone of them."

"Not so fast, Marvel," Cato said sharply waging his index finger at him before turning to Thresh's direction. "Who booked this band?"

"My brother did. They do regular shows in one of our hotels. But I think there are some new members in it. I heard that the other members quit the band," Thresh answered smiling. "Why?"

Cato shrugged. "Nothing. I just want to make it clear that I have my eyes set on the vocalist."

Thresh and Marvel stared towards the girl in white blazer while Peeta smirked at Cato and muttered a low 'possessive, aren't we?' to him.

"Whatever, dude. I thought you want Van Roberts and I laid off of her because you said so," Marvel muttered before signaling the bartender to give him a drink.

"And I said you're half paid. That wasn't for free," Cato told him.

"I'm only saying that you can't hold all the good ones up for yourself," Marvel muttered but not really angry.

Peeta and Thresh laughed while Cato looked amused. "You speak as if you're five-year-old kids fighting over toys," Peeta said laughing lightly.

"We're a little older than five years but that aside, we are fighting over toys," Marvel said.

Oh right. Toys. All of these people they fool around with including Clove were just toys, something to pass the time. It didn't matter how they talk about them.

"Fine. But just so you know, piano girl is Clove Van Roberts which means she's mine," Cato told him and he stole another glance at Clove who was now singing as song he recognized as 'Can't help falling in love'. Her voice was so soft. It's like a lullaby, singing them all to sleep. It was soothing and calming. He liked it. He decided that he wanted to hear Clove sing more.

"Van Roberts is in a band?" Marvel asked eyes wide with surprise. He looked at Clove and then back at his friends. "We should get a picture."

Marvel took out his phone and started taking pictures but Cato grabbed it from him looking annoyed.

"Hey!" Marvel protested.

"That's enough," Cato muttered.

Peeta and Thresh stared at him while Marvel looked like he wanted to argue but changed his mind and decided to keep quiet.

...

"Having a good time?" Madge slightly yelled on the mic.

"YES!" The crowd cheered. It had been a really great night for all of them.

"Hope you enjoyed the whole evening. This is gonna be our last song for tonight..." Madge announced. The crowd all clapped and cheered. Madge signalled Johanna to start the beat of the song.

The crowd keep on cheering and cheering as the music started. Clove was about to sing the first verse But before she knew what was happening, she heard the crowd's cheering grew was forced to turn to her right and a hand was holding onto the side of her face and she felt a pressure against her lips. There in front of her was Cato holding both the sides of her face while he pressed his lips against hers. What the hell!

Cato pulled away while the crowd went wild. Clove could hear Peeta and Marvel distinctly. But just as Clove thought it was over, Cato leaned in again, and kissed her.

Time stopped. Clove could hear nothing though she knew the guests around them were probably going nuts by now. Cato's lips were touching hers and they were soft. A warm feeling suddenly pooled inside her as Cato started to move his lips, gently taking Clove's and wetting them in the process. Her eyes that were wide with shock slowly closed while her arms tensed.

Clove was frozen but Cato seemed to have taken Clove's lack of participation as a challenge. Sliding his lips against her, Cato smirked before trying to deepen the kiss by licking Clove's lower lip and then sucking it gently. Clove was stunned and she felt her lips involuntarily part while a wet and slippery tongue slid into her mouth.

Cato was in heaven. This girl's mouth was the sweetest thing he had ever tasted and he could keep kissing Clove like this for the rest of the night and he wouldn't ever get tired of it. He felt the familiar feeling in his pants begin. Clove's eyes shot opened and she moved her head frantically in panic but Cato held her in place. Cato gave her one final lick before pulling away and Clove gasped for breath.

She didn't know how long they kissed or rather how long Cato kissed her but she felt like it was forever. Her hearing was back and the crowd was clearly entertained by the whole thing. Clove saw Madge smirking at her along with Johanna. While Jackie was just standing there, totally shocked and confused. Wait... She could feel her hands being tied behind her back with a rope. She looked behind her to see who was doing it. It was one of Cato's bodyguards. Oh my god! She was being kidnapped in front of many people, and they seem to enjoy it.

Before Clove could give any more thought on what could have been a conspiracy against her, Cato was lifting her off her feet and heaving her on to his shoulder. A very ugly yelp escaped from Clove.

"Sorry folks but we have to get running," Cato announced before winking and turning to the direction of the doors and walking towards them.

What the hell? Where was this bastard taking him?

"Put me down!" Clove shouted against the crowd's gradually fainting cheers as they moved farther away. She struggled and fought but her efforts were in vain as her arms were still bound tightly by the ropes.

"No way," Cato said happily.

"Where are you taking me? Put me down right now or I swear I'll kill you!" Clove spat angrily.

Cato laughed. "You think you can give me a quick taste and then not let me have as much as I want?"

Clove's stomach sank. "You've got to be kidding. I didn't give it to you because you fucking took it without my consent!"

Cato shook Clove irritably and adjusted her on his shoulder. "Whatever."

They were now just a few meters away from the familiar black sports car. Cato searched his pocket for a moment and then pressed a button. The sound of his car that indicated that it was now unlocked, echoed through the empty street. He opened the passenger side before lowering Clove to the seat.

"No! Let me go!" Clove shouted desperately before her voice was muffled by the car door closing. The door to the driver's seat opened and Cato quickly got in.

"This is kidnapping! It's illegal! I'll sue you, you fucking asshole!" Clove threatened. She couldn't believe that this was happening. She was French kissed by this rotten brat and now she was in his car off to who knows where.

"Screw you! I'll skin you alive! I swear I'll make you regret this!"

Cato just rolled his eyes before sticking the key to the ignition and driving off.

...

"Stop struggling you'll just tire yourself," Cato said while driving.

Clove grudgingly stopped moving and glued her eyes towards the window. They've been driving for twenty minutes and she felt drained. Her throat also felt sore for shouting obscenities at the other. Her efforts where quite in vain since she only received laughs and amused smirks from the other.

"I hate you," Clove croaked.

Cato felt his insides slightly clench at those words. "Well I'm not that fond of you either."

Clove shot him a glare but ignored the comment. The road they were taking was unfamiliar. It was lined with trees and occasional houses as big as cathedrals so Clove was sure she was far from the strip and was somewhere in the more suburban parts of Chicago. Twenty minutes into unknown roads without traffic was enough to bring her several kilometers away from home though there were still things that she could do to get back. She could ask for directions but it was really late and she was in a very peculiar clothing. The clothes will look normal if she put on a shirt inside the blazer and wash the make-up off. If only she could get out of the car first. On second thought, was she better off wandering these streets than be inside Cato's car?

"Where are you taking me?" Clove asked for the nth time in a low voice but the car was dead quiet so she was sure Cato caught it. Clove wasn't really expecting an answer.

"We're almost there," Cato said smiling innocently at her like he did not force Clove into his car and drove off.

"Is there any use of telling you that this is illegal and that I'd kill you for sure?" Clove asked monotonously.

"Nope," Cato answered in a cheerful tone, "and you wouldn't hurt a fly."

Clove huffed. It was like talking to a child. An evil, spoiled, and possessed child. She let her body slump in her seat while her head fell backwards in exhaustion. There was pain at her lower back and she couldn't feel her arms anymore. She shifted again and again to try to find a more comfortable position but it was like talking to Cato. Fruitless.

"I told you to stop. You're just draining yourself more," Cato muttered.

As if he cared, Clove thought. "My back and arms hurt," Clove hissed. If she hated Cato before, she really despised him now.

"Oh," Cato muttered intelligently.

"Can you at least untie me? It's the least you could do, since your bodyguard did all this."

Cato was silent contemplating the request. If he untied Clove, he was sure to get a punch at least and the girl might run off somewhere after.

"I won't run," came Clove's monotonous voice that sounded tired and sore.

Before he knew what he was doing, Cato was pulling over at the side of the road and getting out of his car. He reappeared at Clove's side and was opening the door.

"Move that way a little so I can untie you," Cato told her.

Clove wordlessly shifted to her side so that Cato had complete access to her back. She felt fingers fumble with the ropes binding her wrists tightly and she tried to keep still so that Cato could untie her faster. It was starting to take long and the left arm that was holding Clove's weight in her position was becoming numb.

"This knot is fucking tight," Cato muttered behind her as he tugged at the rope in vain.

"Do you have a knife or something? Maybe you could cut it," Clove asked. She felt really tired.

"Sorry Clo, but I don't have one. My security guy usually carries one but I left him at Thresh's," Cato said.

Despite the aching of her back and the lack of circulation in her arms and hands, a small smile forced its way on Clove's lips. It was the first time Cato called him Clo and even though it didn't make sense, she liked the sound of it.

"Maybe you'll think I'm a pervert or something but my house is really close and I have all sorts of knives in there," Cato told her as he gently tugged Clove into her earlier position.

Clove quickly wiped off the stupid smile on her face. "I already made up my mind about you being a pervert."

"You already did huh?" Cato asked in a tone that says he wasn't really waiting for an answer. Clove looked away because he was giving her his intense stare again. She heard her door close and Cato was walking back to the driver's seat.

Clove watched as Cato was restarting the car. She didn't want to admit it and it confused the hell out of her but being in this situation with Cato didn't bother her as much as she thought it would. She knew she shouldn't be agreeing to let him take her to his house. She knew she should be mad and thrashing right now but she wasn't. She liked to think that it was because she's too tired to put up a fight. She did feel drained but that was beside the point. Even if she was not tired, Clove knew she'd still won't feel like doing the logical reactions a kidnapped person would do.

High iron gates opened and the black sports car entered the driveway of the biggest house in the block. Men in big built looked around intimidating before closing the gates. Clove could see that they were armed and there were walky-talkies strapped at the side of their belts.

"I'm still alive. I took her home...no. I- went freaking home alright?" Cato muttered into his phone angrily as he parked the car.

The men that Clove assumed were Cato's bodyguards were now joined by a few women in servant uniforms. They lined outside Cato's door waiting for him.

"I'm not a kid and I don't give a damn what that old man wants," Cato muttered before hanging up. He sighed and turned to Clove.

"Here we are. My home sweet home," Cato announced and opened the door. As soon as he did, the servants fussed around him.

"Welcome home, sir."

"I hope you had a great night."

"Do you need anything sir?"

"Your father called again earlier from New York. He told me to tell you to call back as soon as you get home."

Cato huffed clearly irritated. "Get lost. All of you."

There were quick nods and all of them were hurrying away with their heads down. He shook his head at them to show his annoyance before walking over at Clove who just got out of the car.

"Don't mind them. Come on, we'll get those ropes off," Cato told her before walking towards the house and she suddenly felt her mood improving with each passing second.

Clove reluctantly followed taking in everything in her surrounding. Unlike Thresh's house, this house was definitely more modern and young. There were several more vehicles parked in the driveway along with the black sports car that Cato usually used. Orchids and other flowers were missing from the grass covered garden and instead, there were tall trees and bushes.

The inside of the house screamed modern and stylish. Square furniture, glass, and clean geometric patterns in black, white and red were a recurring theme in all the rooms. No fresh flowers, no lacy and intricate curtains, no lamp shades or any other fancy crystal light fixtures.

Clove trailed behind Cato while they walk along a long corridor lined with contemporary art, all of them geometric and abstract. The place amazed Clove and she couldn't help but think that it was owned by Cato himself. They reached a room and Cato walked in.

"This is my kitchen," he said and walked behind the long counter made of dark marble and steel. The floor was patterned with black and white squares like the surface of a chess board while high red stools lined the counter. The kitchen was clean, almost like no one used it.

"Here we are," Cato said finding a small knife in one of the drawers. Clove could tell Cato didn't know his own kitchen. There was a snapping noise and Clove's arms hung limp at her sides, free at last.

"Thanks," she muttered as she tried to move her aching upper limbs.

"No problem," Cato said smiling widely. "You can wash your face at the bathroom. It's the third door from here."

"Okay," Clove said and left. Ten minutes after and she was back at the kitchen.

"Do you like my house?"

"Yes, it's very nice. I guess," Clove said. "Did you intend to bring me here in the first place?"

Cato grinned brightly. "Maybe."

O-kay... If this wasn't Cato, Clove would have asked 'so what happens now?' but it was Cato so she didn't. Instead she awkwardly walked to the counter. There was bowl of fresh fruits on it and Clove directed her gaze at the apple. "I want to go home now. I'm really tired."

She heard Cato walk towards her and then he was beside her. "You can spend the night here. I have a lot of rooms upstairs and you're free to choose from any of them including my own."

"Cato, we both know that I don't want to be here. You kissed me in front of a lot of people, humiliatingly carried me to your car and then drove here even though I told you I didn't want to," Clove said frustrated. Cato stared at her.

"What is such a big deal about that? It's just a kiss. It's not like we had sex or anything," Cato said.

"Just because you do this all the time to other people doesn't mean everyone does the same. I actually care about who kisses me and when," Clove retorted.

"Oh I get it," Cato said smirking and then poked Clove's cheek with a finger. "You're still a virgin."

Clove rolled her eyes.

"No need to be shy. I'll teach you everything you need to know," Cato said playfully poking Clove's cheek repeatedly.

Clove pushed his hand away before walking to one of the stools to put some distance between them. "Stop it. I told you I want to go home. Just tell me in which direction I should go."

"You are not going anywhere. You're sleeping here and that's final," Cato said as though Clove was his little kid and he was giving her a timeout for being a bad girl.

"Who said you can decide for me? I choose where I want to sleep and I choose home," Clove countered. Cato was so damn difficult!

Cato stared at her. "Anyone at school would kill to have a chance at what I'm giving you Clove! You are freaking lucky!" Cato muttered.

"Not me, Evans. Not me," Clove said staring down at the counter.

Cato huffed in disbelief. Why can't Clove see how fortunate she was? She got New Trier High School's king practically begging her to stay in his house. He just couldn't understand.

"Then tell me what, Van Roberts," he muttered loudly and Clove looked at him. "Tell me what else you want. What can I do to make you stay tonight?"

Clove gulped. Was Cato pleading with her? "Don't do this. Just... don't."

She didn't want to deal with this. It was bad enough that she wasn't in the best mood but she was starting get confused too. He was confusing the hell out of her! Truthfully, she didn't know anymore what she thought. She definitely hated his stupid and rotten attitude and what he did but she felt like if this went on, she'd give in.

Suddenly, her shoulders were grabbed firmly by Cato. "Why are you torturing me? Why do you keep turning me down even though I've been really nice to you?" he asked shaking Clove's shoulders forcefully.

"Let go. You're hurting me," she muttered but he ignored her.

"Are you scared to do something with a guy like me? Are you interested in someone else?" He asked.

"Stop it. It's not that," She said pushing him away.

"Then what? Don't you understand? I fucking want you!" He shouted out in frustration.

"You don't know what you want!"

"Oh yeah?" He hissed. "I think it's you who doesn't know what she wants."

Exactly. Clove paused fumbling for words while Cato stared at her like he just got her cornered. "N-No!"

"It's not like I'm asking you to dig an Olympic size swimming pool for me with a spoon, Van Roberts," Cato said slightly loosening his grip at Clove. "I'm really easy to get along with and I promise you that you'll enjoy everything just as much."

Clove didn't say anything. She was so confused her head hurt.

"We both know what I want and maybe I know a little about what you want too. Why can't we make a compromise? Stay here tonight and give _us _a try," Cato said softly.

God. Cato's hands were sliding down her arms slowly and it felt disturbingly good. When he reached Clove's wrists, he pulled at them forcefully so that they were standing very close to each other and then wrapped his arms around the other's body.

"I know you enjoyed our little kiss at Thresh's party," he whispered and Clove felt the hair at the back of her neck stand. "But I could give you so much more here."

Like a sudden bolt of lighting hitting the ground, Clove's phone ringed and startled both of them. Cato jumped and stepped back while Clove seemed to have woken up from a daze and retreated far away. She extracted her phone with little difficulty from her tighter than usual shorts. Jackie was calling her.

"Jackie?"

Cato decided that Jackie should just die at this moment.

"_I'm sorry Clove. I didn't really know what to do. I was so shocked, I couldn't move. I'm really sorry Clove. Are you okay?"_Jackie rambled on the phone.

"Oh, it's alright. I'm okay, just a little tired. Thanks for asking," Clove said while Cato was glaring at her phone while running one hand through his hair. It lost the neat combed back look a while ago.

"_Good. Do you need a lift? I left the party and I'm in my car looking for you right now."_

"Oh I'm uh," Clove started when she saw Cato holding a small chalkboard to her that he got off the kitchen wall with the words 'don't tell her where you are' in white dusty letters. She raised an eyebrow at him. "Somewhere in the suburbs I think."

She felt good when she saw him drop the chalkboard at the counter with a mixed of expression anger, betrayed, and just plain surprise. Did he seriously think that she will do as he said?

"I think you're going to have to narrow that down a little more."

Cato's chalkboard was now saying 'NO' but she ignored him. She thought for a moment. "I think I saw a diner and a gasoline station on the way here."

"_Okay, still a lot of possibilities. What's the name of the diner?"_

She closed her eyes in concentration trying to remember the diner's name. "Wait a minute. I think it's some guy's name... Henry's? Joey's?... I'm not sure but I think it's a name that ends with a Y. The signboard is-ugh!"

Clove felt something wet slide at her nape and she quickly turned her head to find Cato behind her smirking evilly.

"What happened?"

Jackie sounded worried and was asking her what happened while Cato firmly put one of his arms around her from the back to prevent them from moving. His other arm grasped the hand that held Clove's phone and pulled it closer to his mouth. He rested his chin against Clove's right shoulder before moaning loudly at the phone.

"_Ummm... Clove. Are you busy?"_

Clove looked mortified and Cato struggled to keep himself from bursting out laughing.

"No! It's not like that! I-" Clove tried frantically but then Cato started nibbling her earlobe.

_"...Clove?"_

Cato moaned a little louder.

"Damn you! Sto-ah!"

Cato grabbed Clove's phone before Clove could react and ran outside the kitchen. He could hear the other cursing loudly as he ran.

"_Hello? Clove? Are you-"_

Cato smiled as he turned the phone off while running. He chanced a quick look behind him and saw Clove struggling to catch up to him panting heavily. He continued running.

"That's right, run! Don't let me catch you because I'm going to kill you, you asshole! I'm going to kill you!" Clove shouted as she chased after him at the long corridor. She felt like her knees would give in any moment now but she ignored it and kept on running, making turns here and there and entering rooms.

Cato reached the foot of his transparent glass and metal stairs. He smirked at Clove before starting to climb up knowing full well that the other was exhausted.

Clove's stomach fell when she saw Cato take the stairs. "Screw you Cato Evans! I'll get you!" she said and started to climb up too, ignoring the pain in her chest as she struggled with each breath. Screw these rich people who couldn't do anything better with their money than to build stupid glass staircases that are freaking high and freaking see-through!

"You're getting slow, Van Roberts," Cato taunted from the second floor watching the other slowly making her way upstairs with both hands on the railing for support.

"Slow my ass," Clove muttered breathily. The back of her head was pounding painfully and her eyes are becoming clouded. The glass steps of the stairs were barely visible to her now. She paused before finally giving in to the exhaustion and collapsing halfway up. She rested her head against the metal railing and it felt cold against her forehead.

"Clove!"

Cato hurried downstairs and was immediately at Clove's side. He put her arm around his shoulder and heaved her up to stand. "Can you stand?"

Clove was breathing through both her nose and her mouth but she felt like she couldn't get enough air and she was suffocating. Her knees were weak and Cato's hold on her was the only thing that was keeping her on her feet. She could hear him but she was more occupied with the task of breathing. She never felt so exhausted in her life.

"I'm taking you up," Cato announced before stooping a little and putting his other arm behind Clove's knees. He took a deep breath before lifting her off the staircase steps and slowly taking her upstairs. He wasn't supposed to be surprise, but damn, she weighed like a freaking feather.

Clove's limbs were swinging limply at every movement he made while her face was frowning as she continued to pant heavily. They finally reached the top of the stairs and he walked in the direction of his room. He kicked it open and went straight towards the bed before gently laying her down. Clove's face was flushed and wet.

Cato reached for the buttons of Clove's blazer. He was sure that Clove wouldn't fight even if he undresses her right here, right now, but he was also sure that he'll feel guilty afterwards. He didn't want to see Clove's body without her consent. So he looked away as he unbottoned Clove's blazer. After undoing all of the buttons, he slightly lifted Clove's upper body to take off the blazer, still not taking a glance. He took it off and threw it the side of the bed. He covered Clove's body with the thin blanket so that he won't be able to see her upper body. He stood up from the bed and went to his wardrobe to find a shirt. After digging in the pile of clothes, he found a long lost shirt of his and decided to put it on Clove. He went back to Clove and lifted her back once more. But after he put it on, Clove was suddenly struggling to get up.

"It's okay. Stay on bed," Cato said pushing Clove back down.

"Need... to... stand..."

She struggled to get the words out as she attempted to get up again.

"You need to rest," He told her pushing her back down.

"Lying down... not good... for strong exhaustion... might pass out..."

Cato took a moment before he finally understood. He helped her get up into a sitting position, supporting her back and shoulders.

"Is sitting alright?" Cato asked softly and Clove nodded.

After a few minutes, the pounding at the back of her head was slowly fading and her breathing went even again. Clove let herself fall back on the bed finally giving in to the tiredness that was forcing her down like weights attached to her body.

Her eyelids felt heavy and sleep was slowly engulfing her consciousness. She tried to stay awake. She needed get home.

"Sleep."

That was the last thing she heard before everything was dark and quiet.

* * *

**Oooohhh... They kissed. FINALLY!HAHAHA! So what happens next? LOL. Thank you for reading and I hope you liked it as much as I did. :) Reviews are highly appreciated. :)**


	17. Chapter Sixteen

**HOLLER! Haha. Here's Chapter 16 for ya guys! I hope that you like it :)**

* * *

She felt light, drowsy, and a bit sore. Clove forced herself to open her eyes but immediately closed them when a strong light hit them. The sheets felt smooth and comfortable against the palms of her hands. She braced herself before opening her eyes again.

Sunlight streamed through an open window near the bed where she was lying down. She directed her eyes to the ceiling. It was unfamiliar. Where was she?

"You're awake."

Clove turned her head toward the door and saw Cato in plain white T-shirt and shorts smiling at her at the doorway holding a tray of food. Last night's events came back to her and she panicked when she realized that it was already morning.

"What time is it?" Clove asked. She slept here for the night and the Everdeens might be worrying right now.

"Still very early," Cato said as he walked across the room towards the bed, "so you have plenty of time to get home before anyone worries."

He placed the tray on the bedside table. It had a plate of bread, eggs, and bacon and a glass of juice.

"Eat," Cato ordered. "And don't you think about leaving anything on that plate."

Clove stared at him and then at the food. She decided to just comply, breaking a piece of bread and putting it into her mouth.

"How are you feeling?" He asked quietly.

"Better," She replied.

"You scared me. You were sucking air like a vacuum I thought you were dying," He said.

"Sorry but it's your fault," She muttered.

"No way. You're enjoying me taking care of you too much, Van Roberts. There's always something happening to you when I'm with you," Cato said.

"I wonder why," Clove muttered.

"I had to do it and I don't regret it one bit," He said.

"You really live up to my expectations," She told him.

"Whatever. At least now I understand."

"What?"

"You."

"Me?"

"Why you push me away."

Clove rolled her eyes. "Hasn't that been obvious? For a while now?"

"You are such a denial queen, Ms. Goody Girl."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Then let's hear your theory," Clove said staring at Cato skeptically.

"You're scared," Cato announced.

"That's it?" Clove asked unimpressed.

"To put it bluntly, yes. But let me explain. I think you are a conservative person and you are afraid of things that's new because they're not the things you knew and don't understand them. Being the uptight person that you are and having a boyfriend for years without touching each other, the idea of having _very_intimate relationship with other people scares you."

Clove stared at Cato. "I'm not really conservative and you're making me sound like I don't have any experience, which I do have."

"Yes you are conservative. And you don't have any experience. As proven by my sex voice stunt earlier. You freaked out because you were afraid that your friend Jackie would think you're having sex with me. You're afraid of trying anything with me because you're afraid of what that might feel. You chased me so angrily because of it too," He said with an air of explanation.

"I am not afraid of losing my virginity if that's what you're saying," Clove muttered.

"Yeah right. You're so frightened that you wouldn't even touch me," Cato said.

"No, I'm not!"

"Then prove it."

Clove looked away putting her food back down on the tray.

"Kiss me."

"What?" Clove looked at him disbelievingly.

"You heard me. If you're not afraid to touch me, then kiss me like I did last night," Cato dared.

"I'm not going to kiss you just because you said so. I don't have to prove anything to you," She said indignantly.

"So I guess I'm right. Stop hiding behind those petty excuses, Clove. We both know I'm right."

She glared at him shaking her head.

"What? It's just a meaningless kiss. It will be over in a few seconds and then forgotten in the next minutes. What are you so scared of?"

Why was she so afraid to do it? As much as she wanted to deny it, Cato was right. She was afraid but she didn't know what she was afraid of. She needed to do this to prove not to Cato but to herself that there was nothing to be afraid of.

"I'm not scared," Clove muttered.

"Prove it," Cato said again and sat down at the side of Clove's bed leaning slightly in her direction.

Clove gulped as Cato slowly inched closer to her. She took a deep breath and moved closer too. Both of them are staring right into each other's eyes unblinking as they both closed the gap. Clove could feel her heart pounding and her breathing becoming uneven. They both stopped a couple of centimeters from each other as if contemplating whether to go through with it or not.

She won't run. She needed to confront this feeling that had been bugging her for a while now. Clove mustered all her courage and pressed her lips against Cato's. It was now or never.

Their lips just stayed like that for a moment, merely touching until Cato parted his lips and took in Clove's, taking control at once. She felt a hand slowly putting itself behind her head pulling her closer while another touched the side of her face. She could feel Cato's teeth gently nipping her lips and a tongue kept sliding between her closed lips. She knew he wanted to get in and she found herself slightly opening her mouth. Immediately, Cato's tongue was sliding and pushing against hers. Clove moaned softly at the forceful contact and felt Cato's hands pulling her even closer.

The room was quiet except for the soft wet sounds and occasional moans from the two of them. Clove's hands remained at her sides, reluctant to go anywhere near Cato. This felt too much overwhelming. She couldn't form any coherent thoughts anymore. All she knew was the feeling of lips, tongue, and teeth on and in her mouth. Cato on the other hand was losing himself more and more, getting hungrier with every movement they made. He hungrily attacked Clove's mouth. Even if she obviously lacked experience and Cato was mostly the one doing the kissing, he thought it was fine because hell, the girl had that insane sweet taste that was very addicting, it was driving him to the edge. Like a drug but so much better.

Cato wanted to test his luck. He started to move towards Clove more, gently pushing his body against Clove's to make her lie down on the bed. The mattress squeaked from their weight as Clove's back completely hit the bed with Cato on top of her. They were still kissing, all need for breath forgotten. He had one of his hands behind Clove's head keeping her in place while the other was gently pushing her chest to keep her from getting up. One of his knees supported his weight against the bed between Clove's thighs. He was ecstatic with the new position and continued exploring the girl's mouth without getting punched for it.

Clove was lost. Something inside was screaming 'no!' but her body was just too busy feeling good. When she felt herself lying down, she put her hands against Cato's shoulders to push him off as a reflex but then she felt the others hands on her wrists. She felt her arms being pinned against the bed and god, why wasn't she doing anything? Cato was now sliding his tongue against Clove's to encourage her to participate more while she made small muffled noises that shot straight down his groin. He was becoming hard.

It seemed like hours since they started and Cato was about to start take off Clove's (it's his actually) shirt when Clove suddenly pulled away, facing the bedroom wall flushed and panting heavily with her lips red and swollen. Cato bit his lower lip to stop himself from ripping her clothes off at that moment and it was freaking difficult to do while she looked so damn edible beneath him like that. Clove replaced her hands on Cato's shoulders before pushing him to get off with more force. Cato groaned but reluctantly straightened. He was also panting though he would have preferred Clove's lips over oxygen any day.

Clove got up and started to awkwardly flatten her hair and straightening her disheveled clothes. Cato was watching her closely while she avoided eye contact.

"Are you sure you want to stop?" Cato asked.

We shouldn't have even begun. "I have to go," She muttered quickly as she stood from the bed, still avoiding Cato's eyes.

"Wait, wait, wait. What is this?" Cato asked laughing mirthlessly and standing up as well, confuse of Clove's sudden mood change.

Good question, Clove thought. She thought confronting this would bring her a little clarity. Oh boy was she wrong! Nothing cleared up at all. If there was anything she achieved, it was more confusion and a deep feeling of... regret? She didn't know and didn't want to think about it. She just wanted to get away, far from this confusion and far from Cato who had caused all these.

"I'm leaving," She announced before walking straight to the door. Cato's jaw dropped and quickly followed her.

What the hell? One minute they were making out and then Clove's walking out on him on the next. "Stop being a freaking tease and get your ass back here."

Clove ignored him and quickened her pace.

"Jesus Christ," Cato muttered and broke into a run. Before Clove could get away, he caught up with her in the corridor and grabbed her behind in an embrace.

"Let go," Clove muttered in a shaking voice. He could feel her body shaking too.

"Clove?" Cato said before placing his hands on the other's shoulders and forcing her to turn around and face him. She didn't put up much fight and when they were finally face to face, he was shocked to find tears running down her cheeks. Clove refused to meet his eyes, directing her gaze at the carpet instead. What had he done?

Cato felt his insides go unpleasantly heavy and it had nothing to do with sexual disappointment. His shorts was definitely tighter and he wanted nothing more than to _do it_already but looking at Clove with such a broken expression made him feel like an evil bastard so he ignored his impulses.

"Hey," Cato said trying to make Clove look at him, "hey. What's wrong?"

Clove shook her head vigorously but still refused to look at him.

"Come on. Tell me Clove. What is wrong?" He tried again.

"I don't know, okay? I don't know!" Clove snapped at him and broke free. Emerald eyes wet with tears stared at him and Cato thought his heart was being crushed. "I don't know..."

There it was again. The word was echoing in his head loudly, trying to get out but it was stuck in his throat. Cato tried to speak but the word felt so foreign that it won't come out.

Clove fumbled with the hem of the shirt she was wearing like a little lost child who looked so confused and scared. Cato wanted to go over her and hug her but he figured it wouldn't be a wise move. The silence was killing him.

"Just let me go," Clove muttered quietly.

Cato stared at her. Did she mean let her go home or stop going after her? "What?"

"I want to go. Please."

You freaking dirty pervert! How could you? Cato yelled at himself. "O-Okay. I'll drive you home."

"No," Clove muttered shaking her head.

"You don't know where to go. Just let me drive you," He argued through the other's stubbornness.

She didn't say anything and he took it as a 'yes'.

"Stay here. I'll just get my keys."

Cato ran back to his and fetched his keys. He didn't bother putting on pants or changing his shirt, afraid that Clove will run off if he took more than ten seconds. He just grabbed a hoodie lying around in his room and ran back. He ushered Clove down the stairs and the servants and bodyguards looked up at them when they finally reached the first floor. They quietly walked to the door and Cato opened it. Clove immediately stepped out.

"I'm driving out for a bit. Open the gates," He muttered before following Clove out of the threshold and closing the door behind him.

The servants were looking at each other with knowing and amused smiles.

"Was that Mr. Evans?" one of them asked no one in particular.

"I think it was. He looked exactly like him although he never went out with so little clothes on," another one answered.

"He was like that when he was a child. He only learned dress properly when he entered middle school," one of them argued.

"That girl he took home last night was really pretty," a younger one commented excitedly.

There was a murmur of agreement.

"I heard them last night. That girl wanted to kill our master!" One of them said laughing.

"But I heard them too this morning. They were definitely making out in the guest room on the second floor."

They whispered at each other excitedly when one of the older ones cleared his voice loudly. "Stop gossiping about him and get back to work."

A loud honking that was Cato's car broke their group conversation.

"Somebody get the gates!" the old one ordered. At least four of them immediately ran outside.

The old man walked slowly to one of the other servants who remained. "Where's Harry?" Harry was Cato's most trusted bodyguard.

"He got home at around two this morning. He's sleeping in the kitchen," the younger one answered quickly.

"Why is he sleeping in the kitchen?" the old voice asked.

"He's waiting for master's order to take the garbage out like he always does every time he brings someone home to play with and Harry fell asleep. Our master didn't give such order all through the night."

His wrinkled face was thoughtful for a moment and he broke into a wide smile.

"Finally," he muttered to himself.

...

Clove got home at exactly 7 o'clock. Unfortunately she only had a few minutes to prepare for school.

It turned out that Uncle Frank and Aunt Marie failed to get home last night, sending Katniss a text saying that they'll be home in the morning. Katniss was still snoring on the living room couch in front of the TV where Clove found her sleeping.

She didn't get much sleep although she felt tired. Whenever she closed her eyes and tried to sleep, she would always remember Cato's face so close to her and the way they made out in his house. God, she still couldn't believe it. She actually made out with the bastard after all he had done. Clove slapped her head and shook it to get the mental images off her brain. She was definitely losing it.

She walked towards the couch where Katniss is sleeping. She shook her head lightly, before realizing that this is Katniss. Katniss was never the morning person, every time people try to wake her up, they always fail because she just wouldn't wake up. Clove smirked and grabbed Katniss' both feet from the couch and started dragging her out of the couch.

"What in the-" Katniss shot her eyes open when she felt someone dragging her out of be-no, couch. Clove laughed at Katniss' reaction.

"You could've woke me up _nicely_, you know." Katniss glared at Clove, with a small smile.

"You know it wouldn't work, right?" Clove said as she started walking towards the stairs. Katniss threw a pillow at her and laughed when it hit Clove right in the head. Clove turned around with a scandalized expression.

"You did not just do that!" Clove yelled dramatically.

"Shut up! You woke me up, you deserved it!" Katniss mimicked Clove's yell.

"It's already 7 o'clock, Katniss."

"WHAT? WE'RE GONNA BE LATE!" Katniss shouted as she hurried herself up the stairs, passing Clove. Clove just shook her head while laughing lightly at her cousin's weird personality every morning.

...

Clove stood beside Katniss before NewTrier High School's entrance. Life goes on and it was almost unfair when all you wanted to do is pause to catch your breath a little. It doesn't care and it goes on even if you didn't want to.

They stood there for a couple of minutes before Annie and Finnick joined them. They all walked towards the school and even before entering, Clove could feel eyes on her. Disgusted eyes. She just shrugged the feeling off and continued on walking. She bid her friends goodbye when she saw her classroom just across the hallway.

She reached the classroom and stepped in, taking a deep breath as she did so. As soon as she entered, the whole room went quiet. They were staring at her while they exchanged whispers and laughs among their neighbors. Clove was used to the rude attitude of these people that she didn't bother with them anymore and started to walk to her seat at the back, ducking perfectly as a paper ball came zooming towards her casually stepped over some guy's colorful Nikes that were blocking her way in an attempt to trip her. She reached her seat unharmed... But her desk was not there...

She searched for her desk but she couldn't find it. She couldn't even see any available seats.

"Hey, Van Roberts, there's your chair!" some girl pointed out. She looked at the direction where the girl pointed her fingers and found her chair by the door. These punks were pranking her. What did she even do? She walked towards her desk, finding filthy words carved on it. 'Whore', 'Slut', 'Freak', 'Nerd', 'Go back to where you came from bitch', and many more. She could feel tears forming at the back of her eyes, but she contained it. What did she do to deserve this?

She reached over for the chair and took it.

This is going to be a very long day...

...

Chemistry was nice. No one played a prank on her. But she could still feel eyes looking at her. It's really an unnerving feeling. It was good that Cato is still not there.

"Hey," some girl named Jane said looking back at her.

"Yeah?" Clove asked. Will she be a hater or a sudden new found friend?

"Can you like ask Cato if he could make me a part of his friends group? I know his other friends are cooler than me but I think I'll fit in if they'd just let me," she asked.

"I'm sorry but I doubt he'll listen to me," Clove replied monotonously. She was guessing new found friend.

She laughed heartily at her while Clove busied herself with her coat. "Of course he will! You're his girlfriend. Duh!"

"Wait what?" Clove asked. Where did that come from?

"I know that Cato has been my crush since like forever but if it's you, I'll gladly back off. I'm actually happy that he chose you because you're like, nice," she said with an air of support and thought for something more to add. "And you helped me with that little glass container that can't stand on its own last time."

"A test tube, and no, I'm not Cato's girlfriend," Clove said making some heads turn to her. "Where did you get the idea?"

"Well it's obvious he has a thing for you and you have a thing for him so it's like, obvious. And I totally saw your video at Thresh," she explained.

"WHAT?" Clove asked.

"I have it on my ipod. Want to see?" she asked handing out her pink and glittery masked iPod.

Clove looked like she just lost all the blood in her body. There at the screen was herself in the white blazer performing on stage. She watched dumbfounded as Cato went on the stage and kissed her. Her miniature self was now being carried off on Cato's shoulder and her stomach sank. It looked even more humiliating than she imagined it.

"See?" she asked and turned off her iPod.

This can't be happening. Someone from the party had caught a video of her and Cato at Thresh's house but who could the bastard be? Even though the video was clear, she looked different with her makeup and outfit so how did they even know it was her?

"Where did you get that and how can you tell that that's really me?" Clove asked. Maybe she could just say it wasn't her?

"There are also like, pictures and in them you can clearly tell that it is you. They're at the school's forum site," Jane explained.

Clove felt dizzy. Was this why people were paying attention to her? Because they thought she was Cato's new girl toy? She caught sight of Marvel and Thresh both laughing and being their arrogant self-centered selves. Peeta wasn't laughing with them but he wasn't stopping them either. Was it them? It should be them because they were the only other high school guests that night who could have possibly known what happened.

"So can you tell him? You can say that we're totally friends and all," she pushed obliviously.

"I'm not Cato's girlfriend! Cato and I are not even friends!" Clove muttered.

Suddenly, the room buzzed with some message alert tones from cell phones whose owners forgot to put their phones into silent mode. People were fumbling for their phones from their pockets when Clove felt her own phone vibrate in her jean pocket. She took it out and whatever blood that was remaining in her system drained out completely.

_I have a request kiddos. I want Clove Van Roberts beside the school swimming pool before the day ends. Get her for me and you'll be rewarded. –C.E._

Clove looked up from her phone and found everyone staring at her. 'C.E.'... It must be Cato... No one in this school has all the number of the student body except for that freaking bastard. She could feel her heart racing and sweat was starting to form on her forehead as adrenaline kicked in. Marvel and his friends were smirking triumphantly at her while Peeta was frowning.

A pimply boy two chairs away to the front from her suddenly stood from his seat with an evil smirk and slowly made his way towards Clove. As soon as he did, three more people stood and followed suit and it was like a chain reaction.

Clove carefully stepped back and whipped around for possible exits. The door was in the opposite side of the room near the teacher's table. About six rows of laboratory tables and chairs along with twenty-three people who are eager to get their hands on her stood between Clove and the only exit. She just had to take the backmost seat in the first day didn't she?

The door suddenly opened and in came their late chemistry teacher carrying a thin stack of paper. "Pop quiz everyone! Settle down because you'll only have twenty minutes to finish it."

There were groans and noises of protests. They reluctantly went back to their seats as the teacher started handing out the test questions. Clove had never felt so happy to see Mrs. Higgins. She quickly went over the questions as soon as she got them, scribbling her answers as quickly as she can. She finished it in seven minutes. She rose putting the strap of her bag to her shoulder and swiftly walked to the teacher's table while eyes watched as she went. She handed Mrs. Higgins her quiz before saying, "I don't feel well ma'am. I think I'll go to the infirmary to get something to take."

Mrs. Higgins smiled widely at her. "Of course dear. We're just doing some redox balancing today but that's kids' stuff for you," she said winking at her. "You can go."

"Thanks," Clove said and walked out of the room. She needed to get out of the school before lunch started and everyone was free to look for her.

The corridor outside was deserted and Clove gratefully walked, cautiously avoiding places that might have students even at this time of the day when classes were going on.

She remembered the request. Why did Cato suddenly send one out for her? Clove knew she wasn't in the best of terms with Cato but lately when he gave her a ride home from his house, he seemed genuinely sorry for upsetting her. He never said he was sorry but she could feel that the other was thinking of doing it.

Only, he didn't. Cato acting like he felt sorry didn't mean he was a saint. He was still Cato and he still did whatever he pleases. Maybe he was angry that she yelled at him or that she stopped when they were in the middle of... something. Maybe he was getting back at her for defying him countless of times before. Or perhaps he was just plain evil and he wanted to see Clove living a very miserable life. He did say he was going to make it difficult for her, didn't he?

Did she really expect anything better from him? Maybe she did and she didn't have any idea why. But one thing was clear. She was very wrong because Cato was nothing more than a spoiled and heartless ass and this stupid request was her proof.

The speakers situated across the whole school suddenly gave out that annoying high noise that indicated someone was going to be speaking. Soon enough, the voice of the announcer was heard.

"Attention, all teachers are requested to go to the faculty room at once for an emergency meeting. Thank you."

Clove panicked as the doors of the classrooms along the corridor she was walking opened one by one and the teachers went out heading for the faculty room. She was just at the second floor and as soon as the teachers were gone, Clove will be pursued by the whole school for sure.

"Shit," Clove muttered. She quickly joined the bunch of teachers headed for the faculty room at the third floor. She climbed down the stairs soundlessly and quickly. She was met by other teachers from the first floor who are going upstairs and it slowed her down. As soon as she got out of the mass of teachers she ran for the door.

In front of the school exit were a group of guys (and a girl) waiting and Clove made a quick turn, deviating from her original route. She found herself running outside at the west open field where the gym was close by. It also happened to be near the swimming pool too. The group of guys she saw earlier was behind chasing after her. Clove ran aimlessly, desperately trying to think of something to get herself out or at least lose these people.

Unfortunately, the other students started to come out of their classrooms to look for her too. Clove tried to run faster bumping a few bodies as she went. The school walls, faces, lockers, and voices were a blur to her. She never ran this fast in her entire life.

She reached the first floor women's room and quickly entered it. She looked around and ran to the nearest bathroom stall in panic and locked it. Clove could hear footsteps and voices outside just after locking her stall and she put two shaking hands over her mouth and nose before stepping over the toilet. She forgot to lock the bathroom door itself.

She was going to get caught. She could feel it and she was freaking scared. She wished Katniss, Finnick, and Annie were with her now but she knew they were better off not being with her for their own good.

A hand suddenly grabbed the back of Clove's blue shirt and Clove yelped in surprise. She looked up to see a boy leaning in from the neighboring stall and making efforts to lift her up. What the hell was this boy doing at the freaking girl's bathroom? Clove forced the boy's hand to release her shirt and stepped down from the toilet so his grabby hands won't reach her anymore. As soon as stepped down, the door to her stall was bombarded with furious knocks and slams. Hands were suddenly grabbing her by the ankle.

Clove desperately tried to free her feet but there were too many hands. She lost her balance, gracefully landing her ass on the floor.

"No! Please no!" Clove screamed as the hands peeking under the small space of the stall's door pulled her forcefully towards the other side. She fell on her back with a thump, hitting the side of her head against the wooden wall making her a little dizzy. She found herself sliding across the floor, being pulled by at least three pairs of hands. She fumbled around for something to grip and found nothing but the base of the toilet seat. Her fingers touched it but slipped as the overwhelming force that was dragging her outside through the narrow space before she could get a firm grip. She was done for.

When she was finally out of the stall, hands grabbed her arms and she was forced to stand tried to fight them off even though she knew there was no way she would succeed and only managed to make her messenger bag slip from her shoulder and drop to the floor. They dragged her to the door, Clove trying with all her might to stop but failed. As they dragged her out into the west open space, Clove gave up hope. She knew that even if she managed to break free from these guys, another group will catch her and another, and another until she lost all her energy to run. This was it.

"Let me go! Get your hands off!" she tried still and received a slap across the face from the girl in the group.

"Shut the fuck up before the teachers hear you!" one of the guys holding her said.

Clove winced at the burning pain at her right cheek and she felt disoriented. The soles of her chucks shook as it slid against the rough outdoor floor. She was being dragged by at least three people and they were supporting all of her weight. Clove saw the rest of the school staring at her as she slid across the open west area, going farther and farther away from the school building they came from. They entered a room and she could smell the faint scent of chlorine in the air. They reached the swimming pool.

"Man, we are so going to get something sweet from Evans. We brought him his girl toy," one of them said happily.

"I'm going to ask for a date with him," a girl with them said excitedly.

They let go of her and let Clove fall to the ground. She glared at them before weakly trying to get back on her feet to look around. The big room was deserted and even the water on the pool was calm and quiet.

"Hey Evans! We got Van Roberts here!" they shouted. No one answered.

One of them suddenly fished out his phone from his pocket and stared at the screen. He smiled then turned to his companions. "He said leave Van Roberts here and he'll talk to us about the reward after."

"Okay."

They pushed Clove back and she lost her balance again. They smirked down at her before turning to their heels and exiting the pool area talking excitedly of the things they would ask from Cato.

It was quiet. Clove wasted no time and looked around for a possible escape. Nothing. She hurried to the door where the fucking bastards just stepped out of. She pushed at it with all her strength but it wouldn't budge.

"Let me out! Let me out!" Clove shouted slamming her fists against the locked door. "Katniss! Annie! Finnick!"

"No one's coming for you."

* * *

**So what do you think about the request? Hahaha. This is going to be fuuuuuuuuun. Hahaha. Tell me what you think guys! :)**


	18. Chapter Seventeen

**First of all, I'd like to thank all my readers and all those who give me reviews. Without all of you, I won't be able to write this much. All of you are my muse. You all inspire me to write. Thank you so much :" And yeah... Be prepared... This chapter is gonna be good. Hahaha. I'm not sure if you'll like it though. But yeah, enjoy reading! :)**

* * *

Cato entered the school entrance looking pissed. He was held up because a car accidentally bumped into his black sports car and the police took both drivers down to the station for questioning and alcohol test. He was smart enough to never have tested the Chicago police, them being trained to deal with all sorts of scum and criminals that lived or visited Chicago. So no, he wasn't drunk. It was the other driver's fault. Was it Cato's fault that the other driver was a lunatic and crashed his freaking piece of junk into his sports car? Hell, no. Did the police listen to him when he told them he had to go or he'll be late for school? Of course not. Did they believe him when he said he wasn't speeding when the other bumped into him at an intersection when he ignored a red light? Hell, no. It took two freaking hours for the interrogation and the unnecessary drug and alcohol test to be finished to make them see that the boy was telling the truth and the other driver who looked like a lawyer was at fault for taking in too much booze before hitting the road on a Monday morning.

So there he was, walking towards the school entrance tiredly with slumped shoulders and a back pack hanging on one of them. He glanced at his watch. Chemistry will end in two minutes and he totally missed the opportunity to talk to Clove alone (almost) for a whole period. He wanted to crush that drunk driver's head.

Cato made his way to the chemistry lab to find it empty. He glanced at his watch again. There was still a couple of minutes before lunch so the class should be here right now but they're not.

"What are you doing here?"

Cato turned and came face to face with a boy he recognized as one of his classmates in chemistry but he forgot his name. He was smiling at him nervously as though wanting to say something cool but couldn't come up with anything at the moment.

"Class? Where the hell is everybody anyway?" Cato asked impatiently.

The boy looked at him curiously. "It's almost time for lunch anyway so I guess we won't have chemistry. They are answering to your request, though there are rumors that-"

"What request? I didn't send out any requests," Cato said.

"You did. Look," he said showing him the text message the whole school received an hour ago.

Cato looked at it. For a moment he thought someone stole the cell phone he used to make requests but realized that the number that sent the request was a digit different from his somewhere in the middle. It was a small difference that could be easily overlooked by anyone who wasn't expecting it. He went on to the message and his insides clenched upon reading Clove's name.

"Do you mean it wasn't you? Man, Gary's group would be very disappoint-"

"Did they get her?" Cato asked suddenly in a dangerous tone.

"What? Who?" the other said startled.

"Clove! Who else would I be talking about dumbass?" Cato muttered angrily grabbing the other by the collar.

"I don't know! But I tried to tell you, there are rumors saying that Gary and his group have already caught Van Roberts and brought her to the pool," he answered quickly. "Don't get mad at me dude, I didn't do anything..."

Cato glared at him for a moment before letting go and walking inside the school. Someone just made a big mistake by using his name and a lot bigger one by touching Clove Van Roberts.

...

Clove turned to the sound of the voice but found herself being pulled from the door and yanked towards the pool before she could even see who it was. She felt her left leg and right shoulder hit something hard upon hitting the water and going under. It felt very cold. She struggled to go back to the surface of the water, her insides full of panic and fear, her skin feeling like it was being pierced by a thousand needles. She gasped when she reached the surface again, panting heavily. She wrapped her arms around herself although the gesture gave her no warmth.

"Not even Cato," a blonde girl said smirking down at her. She was surrounded by three boys and another girl and recognition started to come to Clove. They were from Cato's other group. Cato had many _friends_, and this group is one of them. She recognized the blonde girl. It was Glimmer Artwell. She's in their History class and she was the one rumored to be Cato's ex-girlfriend, though Cato denied it. Because she was clearly not one of his girl toys. They were all holding long metal rods and looking at her with mixed hate and amusement.

"You like the water? We made it extra cold just for you," one of the boys said and they laughed as if it's the funniest thing in the world.

Indeed, they made it extra cold. Big chunks of ice were floating everywhere Clove turned. It made her feel like an ant that fell off a tree and landed inside a giant cup of Sprite and ice. She was lucky she didn't hit her head on any of them or she could have broken her skull. Her leg and shoulder felt bruised. She wasn't sure though; it was hard to feel anything when it was freezing cold.

"Y-You're behind the request. It wasn't C-Cato," Clove muttered and they laughed at her. She glared at them and slowly waded her way to the edge of the pool pushing the floating chunks away as she moved. She reached the side and started to pull herself up when Glimmer grabbed her hands and loosen their hold making her fall back down into the water.

"You're not going anywhere," she told her.

Clove shivered with the cold. Her wet clothes felt heavy and weighed her down. "What d-do you want?" she asked in a shaky voice. Her lips wouldn't stop shaking either.

"We're trying to teach you a lesson," Glimmer said.

"One about respect," added the other girl who was a red head.

"What have I d-done to make you hate me s-so much?" Clove asked stuttering in the cold. Her fingers were getting numb.

"What have you done?" one of them asked rhetorically.

"You know what you did," said another. "Don't pretend like it wasn't your plan because we know it was."

Clove stared at them confused. What the hell are they talking about? As far as she knew, she never plotted anything against anyone let alone these people. Why are they accusing her of something she didn't do? "I d-didn't do anything!"

"Okay, let's break it down. First you pretend to be a goody girl playing hard to get but now we know you're just a whore just like the others. You might have fooled Cato with your little act but not us." Glimmer said glaring at Clove.

"You stole Cato from us!" one of the boys said dramatically.

Oh brother. These bastards are freezing her ass off because they are freaking jealous of her. Great. They have money and what do they do? Freaking buy tons of ice, dump it into the school pool, and hold their enemy hostage in it. Clove could think of many other ways to get back at the people you hate in ways more practical, economical, easier and lots of other things but she had to admit this 'freeze Clove Van Roberts to death using the school pool and lots of ice' wasn't such a bad idea. Her breathing was labored and her lips are blue. Expensive but fucking effective. She had to deal with the wrath of Cato's fans who thought she was going to steal their deity who wasn't much of a saint either.

"Before, he would hold parties and mess around with us. He always went out and played with us but after you came, he rarely gets out of his house anymore," Glimmer said snarling at her.

"He didn't even go out with us, not once since you came here!"

"He became like a damn celibate and only looked at you even though you keep turning him down, you ungrateful arrogant nobody!"

They took turns in throwing insults and verbally abusing her but Clove was too busy feeling cold to take any of them seriously. She was actually hoping that maybe they would get all of their hatred out after this and let her go. It was a misunderstanding that wasn't her fault but she had to suffer for it.

"That's not true. I would never steal Cato from you!" Clove muttered angrily.

"Liar! We saw the video and the pictures so don't even try to deny it."

"There you were during the first week of school strutting down the corridors like you owned the place and freaking stole Cato! You don't belong here. You're just a newbie and you can't even afford the tuition here!"

Clove tried to get out of the pool again when her hands were suddenly hit by the rod carried by one of the guys. She screamed in pain and fell back into the water. She felt something warm pooling beneath her eyes and a stream of tears rolled down her cheeks. "Please. Cato and I are nothing. There is nothing between us and there will never be."

They snorted almost at the same time. "Whatever Van Roberts. You're staying in that pool and I hope you die of hypothermia."

How did they manage to smuggle this much ice in here without anyone knowing? They would need tons of ice to make the water temperature drop this low. Clove could think of possible ways to do it but her mind was slipping. She couldn't feel her limbs anymore.

"Let me go..."

...

Katniss wiped the blood that ran down from the corner of her lips to her chin with the back of her hand. It tasted salty and coppery.

"Screw you!" Finnick screamed before lunging at the other guy who just landed a solid slap on Katniss' face.

"Are you okay?" Annie asked Katniss and she nodded while Finnick was having a go with the guy. It wasn't long until he was on his back with a swollen lip too.

"Finn!" Katniss and Annie exclaimed in unison and rushed over to him. Finnick was holding his lips while staring daggers at the guy who punched him in the face. He winced slightly but seemed more occupied with willing the guy to vaporize than the pain.

"You just never learn do you?" the guy said sneering at them. Around four more boys and a handful of girls stood behind him like backups just in case the group they just manhandled put up another fight.

"Where's Clove? What is happening to her?" Katniss asked.

"How many times do I have to tell you that no one knows? Our job is to keep you Van Roberts supporters away," the guy said impatiently. "And maybe beat the crap out of you in case you become more troublesome."

Katniss' head dropped, her face directed to the floor where the three of them were sitting. She stared at the hallway floor intently but she was seeing nothing. Clove. She was somewhere in the school alone and scared as all of their greedy schoolmates looked for her. She hated herself for being so weak and not being able to be by her side. Her cousin was more than a sister to her, she was also her best friend, yet she can't do anything to help her. She was useless.

"Shit!" muttered Annie in a low voice beside her. Katniss knew that this was eating her just as much. Clove was able to help her in many ways even though they barely knew each other. Now Clove was either hiding for dear life or already suffering on the whim of one evil brat and she wasn't there. She was useless too.

"Hey," Finnick said nudging both of them. "Pull it together or Clove will lose her only friends in this place." Annie and Katniss turned to him and nodded determinedly.

There were loud footsteps coming from the far end of the hallway where these guys have cornered them. All of them were quiet and slowly turned to the direction where the sounds were coming from. At least two sets of feet were walking swiftly towards them.

Katniss's eyes widened with what she saw. Peeta Mellark and Marvel Davis were walking towards them. Katniss couldn't decide if this was bad or good but after the two reached them and glared at the guy who punched Finnick, she decided that maybe, just maybe, it was a good thing.

"What's going on here?" Peeta asked sounding interested but his face looked bored and almost dangerous.

The guy's face was suddenly uncertain and sweating although he was smiling. "No-Nothing. We were just... just-"

"Having fun?" Marvel offered with a smile. Something about that smile made Katniss uneasy.

"Yes! Exactly," the guy said smiling in relief.

Katniss's eyes became sharp when she was suddenly met with Peeta's gaze. "You're bleeding, Everdeen."

"Cresta looks like she just got hit by a train," Marvel commented looking at Annie lightheartedly. Annie glanced at him unflinchingly and then looked away with an air of confidence and defiance.

"Does this fun involve hurting these three here?" Peeta asked once again sounding innocently curious but looking otherwise.

The guy mumbled incoherently fast almost as if to himself while his companions were suddenly very interested with the floor. Peeta was obviously not happy with what he was seeing and Marvel seemed like he would support whatever Peeta decided on.

Peeta walked towards Katniss who was still on the floor and took out a clean white handkerchief from his pocket. He wordlessly and swiftly wiped the blood away from the corner of her mouth before she could do anything. Katniss frowned a little from the sudden pressure against her busted lip but did not say anything.

"Who did this?"

The big group of students and their 'leader' were watching and listening with unease and nervously exchanged looks when they heard Peeta's question. All it would take was Katniss Everdeen's finger pointing at them and they knew they're doomed.

...

He was scared. Sweat was forming all over and a very nasty feeling was making him want to throw up. He ran along the corridors lined with students who are staring. They were whispering but he didn't care. Sudden images of Clove sprawled on the floor with blood. Clove naked and unconscious. Clove in pain screaming for help. Something warm were suddenly pooling beneath his eyes. Tears.

Cato's fists clenched in anger. He ran. The open area outside was crowded. They gasped and cheered when they saw him walk out from the main building. Sudden cheers of 'make her swim! Make her swim!' started from somewhere in the crowd and everybody went along. He wanted to smack their heads but he needed to find Clove first.

He plowed through the students chanting 'Make her swim!' until he reached the door to the indoor pool. The doors were locked. Cato pushed on them helplessly and looked around. People were watching him excitedly and they paused when they saw him turn to them. "Well? What the fuck are you standing there for? Open the damned door!"

There was no hesitation or debating. At least ten people were suddenly pushing against the door making it shake but it still remained stubbornly closed. This will take too long. Cato took out his phone impatiently and hit one of his speed-dial contacts. The first ring didn't even finish before a voice was answering.

"What do you need?"

"I want you to open the door to the school's swimming pool. Now."

"Got it."

Cato hang up and pocketed his phone. It was barely twenty seconds when a big guy wearing a black t-shirt and black cap parted the crowd of students as he made his way towards Cato. Everyone knew him.

"Harry, open it now," Cato said urgently.

"It's locked from the inside," Harry said pushing at the door. "I can open it quickly but it will make some noise."

"Just open the damned thing."

...

Clove's drifting thoughts were suddenly pulled back to the cold reality as the door pounded loudly once then twice. Clove ignored the chills running up and down her back and watched the five people run to the door with panicked expressions. She wanted to wade to the edge of the pool and try to get off the water but she was literally frozen on the spot. Was the water level higher? It touched the bottom of her neck a while ago but now it was up to her chin, almost at her nose. No, she was just slowly sinking, that's all.

A loud blasting sound was heard and the door slammed open with a great invisible force. The first thing that Clove saw was a big man in black shirt who was tucking something on his belt as he went out of the way and then Cato came into view wearing a grey hoodie. He broke into a run screaming something as the people with rods scrambled out of the way but she couldn't understand. She was underwater now.

"Clove!"

Cato's scream echoed throughout the big room. He saw Clove's pale face somewhere in the middle of the pool and watched horrified as her hair disappeared in the water. He ran to the edge of the pool and was shocked to find big chunks of ice floating everywhere. He didn't think twice. As soon as he saw a hint of blue under the water, he slipped off his hoodie and shirt, quickly tossed his shoes off and then jumped.

Fucking cold! Cato thought. The water reached the bottom of his neck and every inch of it screamed in pain. He ignored it, taking a few moments to make his body adjust to the sudden temperature plunge. It was useless. He took a deep breath in before diving face first into the water. It was a little hazy and the temperature made Cato's chest constrict with pain but he moved on. He swam towards the middle where he thought he saw Clove and sure enough, there she was unconsciously sprawled at the bottom of the pool.

Cato wasted no time. He made his way towards Clove before putting an arm around her chest and pulling her up towards the surface. Air felt wonderfully pleasant as he reached the surface and breathed in, Clove in his arms. He coughed water violently for a moment and his insides sank at the other's very pale face and the absence of her breathing. He quickly made his way to the edge of the pool where Harry stood waiting. He struggled a little with Clove's unmoving body but managed to hand her to Harry who pulled them both up.

"Clove! Clove!" Cato called desperately as he shook Clove's unconscious form. There was no response and he was scared.

"I think she needs CPR," Harry said beside him. His charge was paler and blue all over but seemed to worry more for the kid whom he just pulled out from the bottom of the pool. Behind them, people were pushing in to see what's happening.

"Keep them out and call for help, Harry. I'll give her CPR," Cato said determinedly while trying to stop his teeth from chattering. He saw this on TV a hundred times. He watched Rescue 911 and seen a lot of episodes of Baywatch. He could do this for Clove.

Cato's mind was surprisingly clear and full of concentration. Clove needed him. He placed his hand under her neck and tilted her head back before quickly checking for her breathing. It was faint and irregular but it was there. He firmly pinched her nose before opening her mouth with his other hand and swiftly sealed their mouths together. Clove's chest rose as Cato blew into her mouth gently. He placed his ear on the other's chest and he heard the faint beating. He proceeded to putting his hands, one on top of the other, directly over Clove's heart. With straight elbows, he began pressing down on her chest with the heels of his palms in regular intervals, desperately pushing away thoughts like 'what if this doesn't work?' and 'I'm not doing this right'.

He couldn't remember how long he sat there cold and frantically trying to stay calm to revive the girl when suddenly, Clove was coughing and spewing out water. A warm feeling was spreading through him like a wild fire and he felt indescribably happy. Relieved.

Clove's eyes searched wildly around her and tried to get up but Cato held her close. He reached for the grey hoodie he had been wearing earlier and wrapped it around her before engaging her in a tight embrace. He could feel the other slowly relaxing in his arms and he smiled.

"You're okay. You're going to be alright..."

She was confused but Clove let her mind drift for now. The arms around her were strong and she felt at ease, almost as if nothing could ever get her as long as she's in these arms. She felt safe.

...

The school bell rang to signal that lunch was over and the students reluctantly went back to their classes. Everyone except for Marvel, Peeta, Katniss, Finnick, and Annie who were now walking to the school swimming pool.

Katniss paused at the doorway to take in what was in sight. Her cousin looked unconscious and was lying on the floor with her upper body surrounded by Cato's hoodie and arms protectively. She glanced at Peeta who was beside her and Peeta gave her a knowing look and nodded towards Cato and Clove's direction as if to say 'see?'.

"What happened here?" Peeta asked Harry although he kept his eyes on Katniss' grey ones.

"Some kids tried to drown Clove in the pool full of ice but she's okay. Cato saved her," Harry said.

"Cato saved her?" Katniss asked turning to Harry.

"Yeah. He jumped into the freezing water for that kid before I could stop him. I was waiting for him to tell me to jump but he didn't and instead he went in himself," Harry told them.

"And the culprits?" Marvel asked.

"We lost them during the commotion but Clove can identify them when she comes around," Harry answered confidently. "Even Cato saw them before they could run."

Marvel nodded satisfied. He almost felt sorry for them.

Katniss slowly made her way towards Clove while Annie and Finnick followed suit. Cato looked up at her when they reached them and slowly loosened her hold around Clove. Katniss stared at them and the conversation she had with Peeta earlier came back to her after their attackers scampered in fright of the two men. They'll deal with them later.

_"Can I talk to you for a minute?" Peeta asked earning him weird looks from Annie and Finnick. Marvel was silently leaning against the wall._

"About what?" Katniss asked in return.

"I told you I need your help and I told you we'll meet very soon. This is it," Peeta said.

Katniss stared at him and remembered the anonymous text message she received days ago. She nodded slowly and followed Peeta. They stopped several meters away.

"I think my best friend is falling for your cousin."

"Is that a problem?" Katniss asked.

"Do you think so?" Peeta returned the question.

Katniss was annoyed but she didn't say anything. Did she think Cato falling for Clove was a problem? Frankly, she didn't know. If she was asked the same question days ago, she would have said 'yes' without hesitation. She knew Cato was a player and would entertain himself at the expense of others. It was a cruel habit that he flaunted and Katniss hated it. But something about him now was making her reconsider.

"Maybe. We all know your friend and he might do something to hurt my cousin. I will never allow him to hurt Clove," Katniss said protectively. "But are you sure Cato has feelings for her?"

"Yes, at least as far as I know. Cato's been changing although I don't think he could see it. He has changed a lot," Peeta answered.

"Changing doesn't mean he'll be different with Clove. Besides, my cousin has just gotten out from a relationship with his ex-boyfriend. They'd been together for years," Katniss explained.

"Maybe but Cato seems determined and believe me, it is not hard to learn to love Cato. Do you think Clove will be able to return Cato's feelings?" Peeta asked. Katniss could see concern and sincerity etched on his face and she understood. She felt exactly the same way for Clove.

"I don't know. Clove may fall for him and if she does, she will remain loyal to him but I doubt Cato could do the same for her," Katniss replied.

"Cato might seem all games and fun but really, he's a big softy when it comes to the things he valued. I don't want him to get hurt either," Peeta said.

"I understand. You said you want my help. What exactly do you want me to do to help you?" Katniss asked. Both of them knew that Katniss was only considering working with him because this will also involve Clove.

Peeta paused as if thinking and choosing his words carefully. "If you see a chance, even the slightest most miniscule chance that Clove might be falling for Cato too, I want you to advice her," Peeta said with a hint of desperation.

"You want me to tell my cousin to go have a relationship with Evans despite everything that your friend did and the very high possibility that Clove could end up getting hurt?" Katniss asked disbelievingly.

"Yes." It sounded stupid when Katniss put it like that.

"You're crazy."

"Not really."

"Then how can you think that I'll let Clove get hurt?" Katniss spat.

"Because she won't. I'm not asking for her to get hurt. I'm simply asking for her to take a chance with Cato," Peeta said patiently.

"Just one shot."

"She regained consciousness earlier but I think she's sleeping now. She'll be fine," Cato said snapping Katniss out of her trance.

"Thank you," Katniss said.

She felt sorry for her cousin who had to go through such terrible things because she unintentionally caught Cato's interest. She wanted to get mad and blame Cato for Clove's sufferings but she saw the soaked hair and pants of the so called brat. His upper body was bare while he tried to surround Clove with his own clothes.

Cato shook his head. "This cute girl here causes more trouble than she's worth," he said while brushing aside stray strands from Clove's face affectionately. Katniss watched intently.

Maybe Cato falling for Clove wasn't that bad.

* * *

**I feel like a total bitch for using Glimmer as the bad girl. Haha. But I don't really like her okay. I'm sorry. Haha. You like the Peeniss/Everlark moment? Well, I do. Hohoho. I hope you enjoy this chapter. You can really see that Cato's being a softy now. Haha. TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK GUYS! :)**


	19. Chapter Eighteen

**Hey everyone! This is shorter than usual. I ran out of words and stuff so please forgive me. :) Anyway, I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

There were a million questions running through Clove's head and she's getting dizzier and even more confused.

Did it matter to her if she likes Cato or not? She had always seen herself as a person who wasn't afraid of something like this. She's not afraid to have a very deep connection with the opposite sex, let alone an arsehole like Cato. If she liked something, then she liked it. No more question whatsoever. She did what she liked to do, made the decisions she thought were right, and never let anything influence her to follow the norm if it meant causing her what she believed. But being put in this situation was a lot more difficult. She felt like it mattered to her what she really feels for Cato. It really scared her for some reason that was beyond her.

Was she giving in? That one always brought back memories of Cato and the room where they did those things. She desperately wanted to believe that she wanted to throw up whenever she recalled that incident but fooling herself was something Clove just refused to do. It was brutally honest, making her euphoric and terribly scared at the same time. Cato with her, touching her and exchanging breaths with him. She loved every minute of it.

What will happen to her now? Clove now knew something about herself that she didn't knew existed before. She never felt like this before. It was scary that she actually felt good when he was touching and kissing her. It wasn't that hard with her attending a school whose student body widely accepted dating someone as high and mighty as Cato.

"What am I thinking?" Clove muttered to herself loudly and shook her head vigorously.

How can she think of these things when she should be worrying about getting into college? She was so confused! She hated not being in control of herself and not being able to understand. She just wanted forget everything and pretend all was how it was.

She unconsciously reached for her phone and searched for the familiar picture of the boy with the dark brown locks. Johnny. Clove stared at his face for a long time. Nothing. How could that be?

Cato Evans. He was the one who did this to her. He who barged into her world and turned everything in it around. She sighed and closed her eyes. She remembered Cato in his sports car following her home. Cato smirking at her evilly. Cato bandaging her hand. Cato kissing her on the lips. Cato pulling her out of the freezing water. Cato's smile. Cato being Cato.

Katniss peeked into her cousin's bedroom from the door that was left ajar. Clove was now lying on her bed, her face covered by one arm. She was breathing softly now, still in the clothes she wore to school with one foot dangling from the bed. Clove didn't even bother removing her shoes.

She crept into the room without a sound and made her way to the bed where her cousin was sprawled in all directions. Clove looked like a hopeless mess. A bright LCD light on Clove's right hand caught Katniss' attention. She took it, careful not to make a sound and found herself staring at a familiar face. She only met him once but it used to make Clove's face lighten up every time.

Bold letters flashed across the handsome face that the owner of the cell phone had seemingly fell asleep staring at.

_**Delete this file from memory?**_

...

"I want something bigger. Something that will leave a mark," Cato said impatiently pacing around his pool table.

"You don't think getting them expelled is big enough?" Marvel asked trying out the jump shot he saw on a pool tournament last night on TV. He failed. He seriously failed.

"I don't want them expelled. I want them to be in New Trier for the rest of the year and suffering the consequences of what they did," Cato said as he continued to pace around with his cue stick on his shoulder.

"Vengeful," Marvel commented before grabbing the chalk and rubbing it at the tip of his cue stick.

"Why don't you go for something like the medieval witch burning at the stake in the middle of the town square?" Peeta suggested. "Or like that story by Shirley Jackson, the one where they threw stones to the woman because she won the lottery."

"Could be," Cato said as he made the cue ball push the red seven-ball to one of the corner pockets.

"They hired a man to get you delayed but didn't make sure you'll stay out of the school. How stupid is that?" Peeta said.

"Pretty stupid I'd say. How about you tell them to lie down on the tracks of a train in alphabetical order?" Marvel suggested laughing lightly.

"Or I might ask Clove herself what she wanted to do with those lowlifes. In fact, why don't I call her now?"

Cato was suddenly taking out his phone and dialing numbers as though he was just about to order a pizza.

"Dude, it's late. Clove might be asleep already," Peeta warned.

"Nah. She'll wake," Cato said ignoring Peeta as he waited on the phone for Clove to pick up.

"He's out of his mind," Marvel whispered to Peeta.

"Hello Clove," Cato muttered after a minute. He looked excited.

_"What the hell? Cato?"_

"The one and only," Cato replied happily.

_"How did you get my number? Oh right..."_

"I have all of the numbers of the whole student body, remember? I can't believe you still don't have a clue on what I can do," he said. He could only imagine Clove in her bed with messy hair groggily talking to her phone half asleep. Maybe he should just come over? That was something he needed to see.

_"It's one in the morning. Why the heck are you calling me?"_

Cato laughed at the annoyed tone of Clove's usual monotonous voice. "Just checking on you, want to hear your voice, ask you about something. Maybe have phone sex or something after."

There was tired cursing from the other end before the line went dead. Marvel and Peeta were staring at him while Cato stared at his phone in disbelief. "She hung up on me!"

Peeta and Marvel laughed while he redialed Clove's number. He shouldn't have mentioned anything about phone sex.

...

The annoying ringing was back and it had been barely a minute. Clove felt the sheets searching for her phone and forced one of her eyes open. The same unregistered number that happened to be Cato's. Cato knew her number already; texted her once or twice...or thrice, but she never bothered to even save his number. What's the use anyway? She let it ring for a while, ignoring it and contemplating if she should just turn the damn thing off but she was too sleepy and tired to do anything about it. Maybe it will just go away. Wrong.

Five, six, fifteen, twenty-five rings. Fucking persistent. Clove grabbed the phone angrily. "What?"

_"You hung up on me!"_

Cato's voice was accusing and sounded oppressed. Clove rolled her eyes. "I did and I'll do it again."

_"May I remind you that I saved your skinny ass earlier in school today?"_

She sighed. "Yes and I'd be more grateful if it wasn't your fans that did that to me."

_"It's not my fault I have such dedicated fans that are willing to go at extreme lengths for me. Besides, it doesn't change the fact that I saved you."_

"Look, thank you for today okay? Are you happy now?"

_"A little but you can make me so much happier, Van Roberts."_

She massaged her temples. "I'm tired, okay? So unless you're going to say something important at all, I'm hanging up. I don't even know why I'm talking to you!"

_"Maybe because you love me?"_

Something snapped and the next thing Clove knew, she had extracted the small battery pack of her cell phone and was throwing it across the room. She heard it land with a clatter near her study table and regretted doing it as soon as the thing left her hand. She quickly got up and fetched it from the floor examining the extent of the damage.

...

"She totally loves me," Cato told Marvel and Peeta with a smile as he pocketed his phone again all thoughts about asking Clove what to do with the students who faked a request. His friends exchanged confused looks.

"Cato, you can be smooth if you want to. Why do you keep doing these things to Clove? She hates you more and more," Peeta said.

Cato smirked at the cue ball before hitting it with the tip of stick and doing the jump shot Marvel was attempting earlier. "I don't know. It's just so fun to get a rise from her."

"Don't you want to have anything serious with her? She'll never agree to be your girlfriend if you keep making fun of her," Marvel said.

Peeta and Marvel were looking at their friend who suddenly burst out laughing.

"What?"

"What what?"

"You're actually expecting me to court her?" Cato asked.

"Well... not court her actually..." Peeta mumbled.

"Maybe you're right. Since my usual tactics won't cut it and Clove Van Roberts is the biggest mystery of human kind. Really good idea guys," Cato said.

Marvel huffed. "As if you haven't courted her already."

Cato raised an eyebrow.

"Oh come on, Cato. You did things for that kid which we all know you will never have done had it been anyone else other than Van Roberts," Marvel said. "Hand bandaging, CPR, diving in freezing water..."

"Abstaining," Peeta added helpfully and Cato found himself smirking at them.

"What is going on in that head? What are you planning, Cato?" Peeta asked.

Cato placed his cue stick on the pool table before leaning against it. "Right now, I'm going with the flow."

"Becoming a softy is what you get for going with the stupid flow man!" Marvel said.

"Maybe. But I'm enjoying myself," Cato told him. "If it gets too difficult, I can always get her drunk."

Marvel smiled with an amused expression while Peeta looked like he wasn't amused at all. He couldn't believe he asked Katniss to tell Clove to give this jerk a chance.

"Oh! I got it," Cato said suddenly.

"What?" Peeta asked while Marvel listened curiously.

Cato took out his phone again before answering. "I know what to do with those stupid bastards who tried to drown Clove."

Peeta watched astounded as his friend punched buttons on his phone with a very evil smile that he wore whenever Cato plotted something nasty. He didn't understand Cato anymore.

...

"Clove..."

"Uhhrrrmmm..."

"Clove, wake up."

"Idonwanna..."

"Clove, please get up before I throw some cold water on you."

Clove forfeited. She struggled to open her eyes, but it was too bright. Ugh. She slowly sat up on her bed without opening her eyes. She felt fingers pinching her cheeks a little bit too hard.

"OUCH!" Clove shouted and shot her eyes wide open_. Wow, Katniss. Way to wake up your cousin._

"Come on, Sleeping Beauty... Wake up. We'll be late for school." Katniss patted her cheeks.

"Whatever Katniss," She said as she pinched Katniss' nose. They laughed at each other's sillyness.

"Oh... You should read the message on your phone too. There's an announcement from Cato." Katniss said before throwing a pillow at Clove's face and walked out the door.

What message? What did Cato do this time? She grumbled and searched for her phone under her bed sheets. When she got a hold on her phone, she hesitated at opening it, but this must be something interesting. She sighed and opened the message.

_Yesterday was very interesting. Not only did a group of assholes pretended to be me and sent out a fake request but they also tried to harm Clove Van Roberts, whom as you all know, is of great interest to me now. So here's the thing kids, Van Roberts is mine. MINE. Get your dirty little hands off of her or your sorry asses will have to answer to me._

_As for the five stooges who thought they can do all these and get away with it, they can just die. But wait, that'll be them getting away, isn't it? So they'll live as changed men and women. In fact, they are very kind to have volunteered to do all your chores for you and more. Great huh? Got Great Danes that need bathing or walking? Do you have a year's worth of laundry waiting to be done? Got an entire drum of horse shit and don't know what to do with it? Just bring them all to lockers number 25, 58, 87, 106, and 123, or personally present them to Glimmer Artwell, Megan Stark, Patrick Highmore, Jonathan Evans (He is NO WAY related to me), and Bill Roosevelt._

_They'll gladly do anything. For the rest of the year. Enjoy._

Clove stared at her phone with mixed emotions. It was obvious Cato wanted to make life a nightmare for these people at least for their remaining time at New Trier. She was angry at them for doing things to hurt her and felt a little happy now that the wheels have turned and the school will be after them this time. But did she really want this?

And Cato claimed her to be his. Freaking his. Who the hell said that Clove was Cato's? 'Of great interest to him now'. Of course. He will tail her as long as he found her interesting and then leave when he got tired or found another one more interesting.

It was unfair. Why did Cato get to say Clove was his and imply that he was merely entertaining himself using her for the time being in the same paragraph? It was as if Clove was a thing, an object that couldn't feel anything. And hell, she can feel alright. It freaking hurt. She didn't want to admit it but it was the truth.

It was very unfair.

* * *

**So whatcha think guys? You like it? No? Okay... LOL. But I promise! It will get better in the next chapter. I just had a writer's block which was a pain the ass. Lol. But yeah... Review if you like :) Thanks for reading!**


	20. Chapter Nineteen

**Hey guys! So I have a treat for you. Since the last chapter was really short, I came back with a long one. Oh yaaay! Lol. I promised that it will get better in this chapter... Will it really get better? Find out for yourself. :) Hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

Great Danes, a year's worth of laundry, and even the entire drum full of horseshit. All of these and a lot more were being delivered into the school specifically for five students since Cato texted his announcement. Glimmer Artwell, Megan Stark, Patrick Highmore, Jonathan Evans, and Bill Roosevelt kept receiving unimaginably gross stuff all day including dead rats and jars of live cockroaches the size of an infant's fist. During lunch, people just keep coming up to them to make them do all sorts of things while Cato watched and laughed from a distance with Marvel, Peeta, and the rest of his gang. Glimmer and Megan's faces were puffy and red from crying all day and they took refuge in the nearest bathroom stall on the first floor. That however, did not save them from the female sadists who enjoyed stepping on other people especially now that they can hide behind Cato's announcement.

Their friends turned their backs on them. They were treated like clowns and outcasts. No one dared to help them in fear of getting involved. By the third day since the announcement, Glimmer and Megan broke into tears yet again when someone dumped a bucket of pig's blood over their heads on their way to class. They left school in hysterical cries and were never seen again.

The boys endured a little more before they too were breaking down. A series of beatings from different groups and a humiliating naked parade made them realize that they couldn't stay in New Trier anymore. Four days and like the girls, they were gone too.

Clove witnessed their ordeal but neither joined the school in torturing them nor defended them. Twice or thrice she found herself about to help them or stand up for them but Katniss would always grab her arm and stop her.

"They deserve it," she told her although she too refused to watch them suffer.

Even the thugs who had beaten up Katniss, Finnick and Annie received no mercy. Peeta made sure of that. A gang of big men with guns taught them a lesson one afternoon after school that they will never forget.

And so the message was clearer than ever. Mess with Cato and his friends and you're dead. Touch anything that was theirs and you're dead too. Easy as that.

...

Clove sat on her usual seat in Computer Class. She hoped that Cato would be absent for the whole day because she doesn't want to deal with him at the moment. She hated him before, she hated him now. She stared at the computer screen, trying to figure out what to do in the activity that their teacher gave them until...

"So how's the little virgin Einsteinette? Check out any good porno sites?" Cato said as he sat next to Clove.

Clove glared, "I can't believe you're here right now. Let's hope I don't breathe in any retard germs."

Cato glared back, "Well, let's hope I don't breathe in any virgin disease."

"You already said that asshole." said Clove.

Cato shook his head, "Well, it's true."

Clove's mouth dropped, "Get stuffed!"

"Whoa." Cato said in faux-pain.

"I hate you!" Clove said furiously.

_Ouch_. Cato smirked, "That's because you secretly want to have sex with me."

Clove's jaw clenched in fury, "Ha, when I do decide to lose my virginity, I had always imagined it with someone of my own species."

_Ouch v.2.0. _Cato chuckled, "Oh really? I have a feeling that will change sooner or later. I know you want me, Van Roberts."

"You are such a moron." said Clove, "You really think the world revolves around you."

_Ouch v.3.0. _"You know you're really starting to get in my nerves Van Roberts. You think you're so different to everyone else." Cato said.

"Different _from_." Clove stated.

Cato looked at her in confusion, "What?"

Clove sighed, "You said different _to_, the correct phraseology is different _from_."

Cato shook his head, "Thanks for the information smartypants, now I can say you're no different _from_ any other geek with books instead of friends."

"Neanderthal"

"Tiny"

"Brat"

"Ms. Know-It-All"

Clove glared again, "You know, I should pity you, but I can't. I hate you too much. I'd rather cut off my own legs with a rusted spoon, before I would learn to like you!"

Cato blinked, then blinked again and then glared, "Ditto."

Clove smirked, "Ditto?"

Cato nodded, "Ditto."

"Well then double ditto!" said Clove.

"Double, double triple ditto times infinity!" Cato said.

"WILL YOU TWO SHUT UP AND DO YOUR ACTIVITY!" their teacher shouted out in frustration.

This was her problem. Cato keeps on changing. His mood was always off. Some days he will be really annoying, then some days he'll be so romantic and cheesy. But this time? He was just being a freaking asshole. Clove sighed and just proceeded on doing the activity that the teacher gave them, ignoring Cato's constant nagging. What did she do to deserve this attention from an inhumane being?

...

Renaissance. Perfect.

Clove quickly rose from the carpeted floor of the almost deserted library. She had been sitting there for half an hour now since she had a free period while Katniss, Annie, and Finnick were still in class. Clove learned that in this school, people rarely go to the library and he assumed the students preferred the internet to do their research work so the library was always almost empty and quiet. She knew the fashion freaks wouldn't dare go near this place that reeked of books.

Unlike the other students though, Clove enjoyed browsing the shelves and flipping the pages of books. It took more time but it was something that she liked doing, like a hobby. If there was anything she liked about New Trier, it is their big and full library. She liked it here, peaceful and almost free from the people of this school so she learned to spend her free time sitting in the dark corners of the remotest shelves with a small stack of books beside her to keep her company, composed of titles that she picked one by one from different shelves. She felt relaxed reading about their assigned topics or any random subjects she stumbled upon whether it was something for class or just something to pass the time.

She had been doing this for a couple of weeks now and the librarian wasn't too happy with it. He (yes, the new librarian was a middle-aged man) had caught her once a few days ago reading on the floor in between a shelf and he told her off, saying that she should use the reading table. He also said he had been catching a lot of misplaced books recently and asked her if she knew anything about it. She shrugged and chose not to mention the few times she lost track of time while reading and hastily replaced her books on the nearest shelves. He didn't look convinced and had been watching Clove like a hawk since then. Clove was smarter than him though, so he failed to find Clove's new reading place. She always remembered to replace the books back into their proper shelves this time so as not to make the librarian angry anymore.

So leaving her corner with her small pile and her messenger bag, Clove was off to the history section for a book that would contain something about the renaissance period, preferably one with glossy pages and big pictures. That period always had lots of beautiful things to show.

She reached the shelf and was faced with dozens of books to choose from. She smiled and began looking for interesting ones. She stooped down to reach the lower part of a particularly promising shelf while running an index finger along the spines of the neatly arranged books.

" Nerd."

Startled, Clove quickly straightened and her head suddenly hit something hard with a loud sound.

"Oww..." Clove hissed nursing the top of her head and crouching back down.

"Jesus! Owww..." Cato groaned rubbing his chin.

Cato stood a few inches from her in a printed shirt, black jeans and grey chucks. His face was contorted with pain while he stared at Clove. She heard the bones collide loudly and decided that he was in a lot of pain.

"Sorry," Clove muttered as she stood up.

"You're going to kill me someday. I swear you will. Why the hell did you stand up so quickly anyway?" Cato asked annoyed.

Clove could feel anger starting to bubble inside. "You startled me! I wouldn't have got up in a hurry if you weren't freaking sneaking up on me!"

"Now it's my fault?" he asked disbelievingly like she just accused him of Gandhi's death.

"It is," Clove snapped.

"I'm the one who got hurt here!"

"I'm hurt too jackass!"

"How dare you—"

"Or should I say bigass?"

Cato smiled. "I see you checking me out, Ms. Know-It-All!"

"Spoiled Brat!"

"Geek!"

"CAN YOU TWO KEEP IT DOWN?"

Clove and Cato were suddenly quiet. The librarian, a plump middle-aged man in spectacles looked at them sternly while balancing a tall stack of books in his arms that almost blocked his view. He wore those vintage shoes that matched his light blue longsleeves. The new librarian was small though, so the top of his head only reached Cato's shoulder. He clicked his tongue.

"Sorry sir," Clove mumbled trying her best to look sheepish and remorseful.

"Yeah, sorry," Cato copied her.

"Ms. Van Roberts, why am I not surprised to find you here?" he asked rhetorically while eying Clove with narrowed eyes. She had learned a while ago that he always called everyone 'Mr.', 'Ms.', or 'Mrs.' with their surnames affixed at the end.

"I just like reading Mr. Meyer," Clove said quietly. Cato's ears shot up at this. Confirmed. Clove Van Roberts likes reading so there'll be a big probability that she'll be at the library when she's not in class. Cato smiled.

She clicked her tongue again looking at both of them. "Don't you two have a class?"

"I have free period and my next class that will start in an hour and a half will be a free period too. I heard Mrs. York is absent," Clove explained.

"Ingrid? Oh yeah. She called two hours ago and told us she had to bring her kid to the doctor. Asthma attack," he said then looked at Cato expectantly. Clove was also looking at him albeit suspiciously.

"Me? Well... I-uh, don't have class either," Cato mumbled and Clove raised an eyebrow at him. He was supposed to be in room 206 doing something that involved the quadratic formula.

"So you have class in thirty minutes?" the librarian asked.

"No. I'm supposed to be in Mrs. York's class now and my next period is free," he added for good measure. Lying was something he can do flawlessly when the situation asked for it.

The librarian was looking at them like he was planning something and then smiled stiffly. "Good. I need some hands in organizing the reserved section of the library. We have new arrivals."

Clove's eyes widened while Cato looked like he just won the lottery.

"B-But sir I have to—" Clove tried thinking of her messenger bag that she left on the floor somewhere in between the dozens of shelves before Cato interrupted her.

"Can't you spare a minute to help a good old man stack up his books, Clove?" Cato asked her dramatically. Clove glared at him. Cato walked to the librarian and took the books from his arms. "Here, let me carry these for you, sir."

He smiled at Cato. "Such a polite boy," he said and frowned when his gaze landed on Clove. "Follow me."

Cato winked at her before trailing behind the librarian. Clove crossed her arms in front of her chest and huffed in disbelief as she watched them walk towards the back where the room wherein reserved books were stored.

It amazed her how manipulative Cato can be. He made that old man believe that he was a sweet and innocent young man without the slightest hint of evil. She must admit that he indeed looked naïve and kind with his smile but she knew better than to believe that façade.

"Clove, we're going to need your help too!" Cato called sweetly at her and she grudgingly jogged to catch up.

...

The reserved section of the library was a small separate room where rare books that the library had limited copies of were stored. The aisles were narrower and the lighting was dimmer. The dust was also thicker. Clove didn't understand why a high school where students almost never use the library had an extensive one complete with reserved books. It was obvious from the look of this room that it had been sitting here for years without anyone knowing of its lonely existence.

Cato made a face at the sight of the room that suggested that it was also his first time in this place.

"These came in yesterday," Mr. Meyer said pointing to a giant pile of new books at the corner. The absence of dust contrasted it greatly from the rest of the room.

"I'm already done cataloging all of them but my back will break if I put all those on the shelves. It might take a few days," he added.

"Don't worry sir. Me and Clove are happy to help you until all of these books are neatly placed on your shelves," Cato said smiling.

"Oh good. I was planning to just stack them up in that empty shelf at the back but now that you two are here and willing to help, I might as well put them on this shelf after you put everything down of course," he said happily.

Clove looked at the towering shelf he was pointing at and internally groaned. For the new arrivals to fit, she and Cato would have to clear out at least three of the dusty rows. Needless to say, it will involve taking the old books down, putting them away where Mr. Meyer wanted them, dusting the shelves, and finally organizing the new books on the available space they'll make. She glanced at Cato who was bouncing on his feet. You've got to be kidding, Clove thought.

"I hope you don't mind," Mr. Meyer said.

"Well—I"

"Not at all, sir. Not at all," Cato answered quickly.

"You are heaven sent. Well, go on now. Start by taking down all the books from these shelves," he said motioning to the entire four rows, "and I'll be at the front desk. You'll find me there if you need anything."

Cato nodded and Mr. Meyer gave him one final smile before disappearing behind the door.

"I don't believe this. Do you have any idea how much time and effort all this work would take?" Clove snapped at Cato as soon as the door closed. "We would probably need to keep coming back here for at least two days before we finish everything!"

Cato smiled. "But I thought you like books, and reading, and libraries. What are you so mad about?"

Clove rolled her eyes and breathed deeply. Arguing with this guy will bring her nowhere, she decided. So instead of throwing a vicious retort, Clove walked towards the dusty shelf and started taking out the books. As soon as she pulled one out, a small smoke of dust greeted her face and she coughed choking on the particles. She glared at the book as though it deliberately sent the dust to her windpipe and brushed off the remaining dust on the cover with a little more force than necessary. The dust attack happened again on the second and third books but Clove learned to distance her face from the shelf by the time she was ready to pull out the fourth.

A bright light flashed on Clove's face and she shielded her eyes with her arm in reflex. What the hell?

"Awww... you blocked your face!" Cato whinned while checking the screen of his small digital camera. He was seated on top of an old study table near the door with both legs up and tucked under him. His chin was on his left arm which was propped against his left thigh. "I'll take another one so keep your face in view."

Before Clove could respond, another flash blinded her for a second. Cato smiled as he stared at the picture of Clove he just took. Her face have grey smudges of dust on the cheeks, forehead, and at the tip of the nose. Adorable.

"Will you stop fooling around and do something useful? Like maybe starting on the lower shelf since you're so eager to help Mr. Meyer?" Clove muttered angrily.

He kept his camera somewhere inside his pants' pocket. "Are you kidding me? There's no way I'm going to touch any of those."

Anger rang on Clove's ears. "What?"

"You heard me. I'm not touching those. They're dirty and I don't feel like doing anything right now," he said placing his other arm under his chin too.

She huffed in disbelief. "Are you telling me that you're not going to do anything to organize this shelf?"

"Uhuh," Cato said happily.

Clove let the damned books drop to the floor and placed both hands on her waist. "And who do you think will do all these work that you volunteered for?" Her voice sounded dangerous and posed an unsaid threat. She glared at Cato who was still on the table smirking at her.

"You?"

A heavy hard-bound book zoomed across the reserve section from Clove's hand towards the direction of Cato. He ducked and the thick book slammed against the wall where Cato's head had been just a second ago.

"That could have killed me!" Cato said and stepped down from the table.

"Then too bad. I missed!" Clove shot back.

There were footsteps outside the door and both boys were suddenly silent. They waited anxiously but no one opened the door. Cato watched as Clove went back to the task of clearing out the shelf. He stood there in silence watching as the other pulled out book after book and cough from the dust.

"I don't understand," Clove mumbled almost inaudibly to the shelf in front of her and refused to face Cato.

"I don't understand at all," Clove said again almost to herself.

"What?" Cato asked quietly, afraid that Clove might snap at him again.

Clove took her time, brushing off dust here and there. She wiped the sweat on her forehead with the sleeve of her plain black hoodie before deciding that it's too hot and slipped it off her shoulders. She threw it at a corner on the floor. "Why are you doing this?"

Cato was going to say 'because I like you' but Clove wasn't done talking.

"I know you enjoy seeing me suffer, but why _me_? There are lots of other people here but you keep picking on me when I didn't even do anything," Clove said as she placed another book on top of the other ones she pulled out the shelf.

Cato was confused. Why was Clove suddenly like this? He was just having a little fun although he was serious when he said he wasn't planning to help her with the chore. He skipped his class to go looking for her and he luckily found her snooping around the library earlier. He saw the opportunity and jumped on it. He just wanted to spend some time with her alone even in this dusty room. Wasn't that obvious?

"Why are you mad? I told you I want you. I told you a hundred times," Cato said.

Clove was still working and acted like she was talking with Cato from another dimension. Cato watched mesmerized Clove's every move. She was so thin, he thought.

"You want me," Clove whispered and leaned on the shelf. She finally faced Cato. "You want me."

"Yes. Yes," Cato told her.

"By 'you want me', you mean my body right?" Clove asked slowly walking towards the other.

Cato did not take one single step back even until Clove stopped in front of him just a few inches away. He was starting to feel hot around the collar and it agitated him. What's she planning to do?

"That's why you keep making my life miserable. You want my body. If I let you fuck me right now, Cato, will you get off my back?" Clove asked monotonously with an unreadable expression.

Cato's eyes were wide and his jaw dropped. "What?"

"This is what it's all about right? As long as I don't give in, you won't stop bugging me. I have something you want and you'll go away after you get it," Clove said with an air of explanation.

True. All this started because literally, Cato's first thought of the day when he first saw Clove's face was 'I want her body.' He chased Clove and he was even more delighted that the other was being difficult. He was happy but apparently, Clove was not as amused. There she was now in front of him, in a small room that probably only the librarian knew about and offering herself to him in surrender. He had been waiting for it right? Why wasn't he happy? He felt... wrong.

"Come on, Evans. This is what you want. Get over here and just fuck me already so we can get it over with," Clove said looking like she would much rather jump off a skyscraper than let Cato fuck her. She was almost in tears.

Cato ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. "It's—I... It's not like that, Clo. I don't want, no, I want you... But not like this," he managed to say.

"You have a problem with this place? Okay. We're both free so why don't we go out? Find a cheap motel room and do it. What do you say?" Clove said as though she was just planning a lunch out. "I'm in a hurry Evans. Time's running out."

"No!" Cato said grabbing Clove's shoulders in a firm grip and pulling her in to his chest. Clove tried to push him away but Cato managed to keep her in there in a tight embrace. After a few moments, Clove settled and Cato felt Clove's weight in his chest. The girl's shoulder suddenly started shaking slightly and Cato ran his hand up and down her back in a way that he hoped was soothing. "What is it Clo? Tell me."

"I'm tired. I'm tired of always running, always being picked on, always having to put up with your whims." Clove sobbed on Cato's shoulder. He could feel his shirt getting wet but every word Clove said stabbed him straight to the core. This was all wrong.

"You confuse me and hell I've never felt so unsure of myself ever! You suddenly barge into my life and act like you own me. I'm tired of it," Clove said and suddenly pushed Cato away with all the force her thin wrists would allow her. "I'm sick of it!"

Clove blinked and more tears ran down her face. 'Of great interest to him now'. She still couldn't get it out of her head. She wasn't a toy. She wasn't a freaking play thing that this brat can use to pass the time. She was a person and this was unfair. She couldn't stand it anymore and she wanted all these to stop.

"I'm sick of you. You're the worst person I've ever met. I hate you. The mere sight of you makes me want to throw up," Clove said.

He couldn't believe this. Every word pierced his core and it made him hurt. And angry. How can this girl hurt him with what she says? Just mere freaking words. What did he do to deserve these words from her? Did she hate him this much? There was a sinking feeling inside and panic rose in Cato's head. He didn't know what to do. How was he to react or think in this kind of situation, whatever it may be? He never felt this way before dammit!

So Cato did the only thing he could think of. Yell. "Fuck!"

Clove visibly winced at Cato's sudden outburst but managed a glare. "Good idea."

"You hate me that much?" Cato asked staring daggers at Clove.

"You want me to repeat everything? Fine. I hate you. I'm sick of you and I don't want to have anything to do with you anymore," Clove said staring right back.

Cato regretted asking the question but Clove's answer was the last push he needed. "Then okay. If you want to get it over with so bad, we can end it tonight."

Clove didn't think her insides could sink any lower but it just did. "Huh?"

"Tonight after your shift at the music store. I'll pick you up," Cato said. He walked to the door and swiftly opened it leaving a stunned Clove standing at the opposite end of the room staring at the wall.

Cato turned as though he forgot to say something and spoke.

"Brace yourself. I'll fuck you till you bleed."

...

Gale's fingers snapped loudly in front of Clove's face and she jumped.

"Gale? You're still here," Clove said snapping out of her daze. Gale was beside her behind the counter.

A man in printed shirt and sweat pants handed Gale some bills while giving Clove a disapproving look. Gale took it with an apologetic smile and gave the man a bag that contained his CD's. The shop bells rang and their customer was gone.

"I'm sorry," Clove mumbled. "Your shift ended almost two hours ago."

"Yeah, don't have class tonight so no rush. And I couldn't really leave the cash register when you're so interested with the counter, could I?" Gale asked.

"Sorry. I'm okay now. You can leave," Clove said rubbing her temples.

"What's the matter kid?" Gale asked.

Good question. It was suppose to be her usual quiet time in the library and things happened so fast she didn't even remember much of it, just the hurt and the tears. How did they end up with such an agreement? At least she thought it was an agreement.

"Come on. You can tell Uncle Gale," Gale said jokingly.

Clove glanced at her watch. Fifteen minutes and her shift will end. "It's nothing. Just had a tough day at school today." She forced a smile at the other's attempt to cheer her up. "And you're too young to be my uncle."

Gale knew that it was so much more than a regular 'tough day at school' but decided to let Clove alone. Clove chose not to tell him and he respected her decision. "Fine. I need to go now. Are you sure you don't want to tell me?"

Clove smiled at him. "It's something only I can deal with."

Gale nodded understandingly. "Okay. But just don't let yourself think too much about it. You look like a convict awaiting execution."

Clove laughed at the accuracy of Gale's choice of analogy. Oh, if he only knew. "Thanks. Don't worry about me."

Gale gathered his things and gave Clove a final pat at the shoulder. "Take care, Clove."

Clove nodded and watched as Gale made his way out of the shop. The bells rang again and she was alone. The clock said she had thirteen minutes. Did she really want to go through with this? She was emotional earlier and the gravity of what she was getting herself into did not sink in until just a couple of hours ago. Was she really going to let Cato take her virginity?

But then again, what could she lose? Sure, Cato was an attractive guy and this wasn't the way she imagined her first time was going to be. Hell, it was anything but romantic and Cato's last warning rang unpleasantly in her head for the past hours. But it's not like she'll get pregnant or anything. She was sure Cato will use protection...right? Besides, Cato will surely leave her alone after this. She saw no reason for her not go through with it.

Except maybe one thing. Nerves? Maybe. Pride? A little. Erotophobia? Definitely not. It was this nagging feeling that hurt her the most. Doing this will just prove that Cato saw her as nothing more than a play thing, another fuck. Of course Cato saw her as nothing more. What was she expecting? That Cato wanted her not only for her body? That she was somewhat special in Cato's eyes? That maybe someday, she and Cato will have something?

No. She didn't care. Clove kept telling herself she didn't care. She was a big girl. She'll go through with this and she'll be able to rid herself of Cato once and for all. She just wished she believed this as much as she wanted to make herself think she did.

Clove pulled out her phone with shaking hands and pressed a few buttons. She waited biting her lower lip before the familiar voice answered.

_"Hello?"_

"Hey Kat."

_"Clo. Is your shift over? You want me to come get you?"_

Ever the worrier. Clove couldn't let her know. "No. I just called to let you know that I might be home late."

_"Yeah?"_

"Yeah. Jackie got this message from the performing group and they wanted us to join them for a quick job tonight. It's on a really short notice but they promised to pay me triple," Clove lied smoothly but felt bad because it was Katniss.

_"A job tonight? Mom's going to kill you."_

"But I can't pass it up, Kat. Just tell her I'm at Annie's or something."

_"Oh no. You want me to lie to my mom and you're going to use your good reputation in this situation because you know she trusts you enough to not check up on you at Annie's. What's going on?"_

Clove almost told her cousin the truth but she managed to stop herself. "N-Nothing! Listen, I really need this money. If I do this tonight, I'll save myself a lot of trouble later." That wasn't much of a lie.

Katniss was silent on the other end. Clove glanced at the watch. Five minutes.

_"Okay. Just text me when you're done so that I'll know that your fine. Don't you dare forget!"_

"Thanks, Kat. You're the best," Clove said and hung up before she said anything stupid.

As she cleaned out the register and locked up the doors, there wasn't a single second that she didn't think about what will happen. The same thoughts, same questions, same answers, same what if's, same internal arguments. For the nth time today, Clove asked herself if she really wanted to do this.

She could keep dodging Cato. It was a long and very difficult task but if she tried really hard, Clove might make it. But then again, there were eight more remaining months before her final year of high school ended. Eight more painful months before this was all over and she could run off to the sunset singing a triumph song. Can she endure eight more months of Cato's constant advances? Will she give in eventually? Will she fall?

Clove shook her head yet again. She had made this decision hours ago. She thought about it and yes, Cato will never leave her alone until he got what he wanted. Better end it now before anybody else got hurt. Like Katniss, Annie and Finnick.

The last of the locks had been secured. Clove stood outside the shop and gripped her hoodie tighter around her neck. It was cold. She didn't need to check her watch again to know what time it was.

Bright headlights illuminated the thickly vegetated front of the music store. Clove turned and watched as the familiar black sports car parked in front smoothly. This was it.

"Get in," Cato said from the driver's side window. There was no hint of playfulness that Cato's voice usually had. It was an order.

Clove kept her eyes on the pavement and slowly made her way to the waiting car. She opened the door got in and closed it without saying a word. Before she knew it, Cato was speeding on the road.

She was nervous. Cato's radio played nothing. The windows were up to keep the cold out but Clove's hands shook involuntarily. She clasped them together firmly. She chanced a glance at Cato. He was wearing black rimmed glasses and concentrating on the road ahead. She never knew he wore glasses.

"Where are we going?" Clove asked.

"Does it matter?" Cato asked in return.

"I need to know so that I can plan my trip back," Clove said facing the window.

"Don't worry about it. I'll drive you home."

"I don't want to."

"You have no choice."

"Of course I do. Just tell me where we're going."

"Why are you being so difficult?"

"I'm not. It's just that after this, I don't want to see you again if I can help it."

Silence. Nothing could be heard from either of them but inside, their heads were anything but silent. Clove silently regretted his words. Cato wordlessly nursed yet another internal cut.

"The Peninsula. I booked a hotel room there," Cato finally answered.

A giant lump was forming in Clove's throat. She swallowed. Okay, The Peninsula Chicago. Her first visit to that place and she was already going for sex. Maybe she could take the cab? She had no idea how much a cab ride costs down here, not having taken one yet since she moved in to Chicago. She'll think of something.

The road was beginning to brighten with lights as they left the suburban parts of Chicago and entered the famous hotel. It all happened so fast. In what seemed like less than thirty seconds, Clove was standing next to Cato in front of a desk in the hotel lobby. She saw the bright lights and the surrounding people but she was too busy feeling nervous to take anything in.

"We have a reservation," Cato told the pretty young lady behind the desk.

She smiled at him. "Under whose name, sir?"

"Evans," Cato told her. He didn't return her smile.

She checked on her computer and nodded. She produced a room card key from somewhere behind her desk and handed it to Cato. Her eyes moved from Cato to Clove and back again. Clove could tell she knew what their business here was even though she and Cato could pass as two friends or cousins planning to just have a good night sleep in the hotel. If only Cato wasn't holding her arm since they entered the hotel. "Room 607. Enjoy your stay sir, ma'am."

Cato grabbed the key and dragged Clove away from the receptionist.

* * *

**Ooohhh... So what's gonna happen now? I'm sorry that I left you hanging. Haha. What do you think about this chapter? Is it good? Is it bad? Tell me guys! :" I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.**


	21. Chapter Twenty

**Brace yourselves guys... This is it... lol**

* * *

They received weird looks here and there but for the most part, people ignored them. Clove stood beside Cato in the elevator. Both of them were still in the clothes they wore to school. Clove wore a plain black hoodie over her thin light blue v-neck and usual tight pants and chucks. Her messenger bag that was slung across her chest from her shoulder made it obvious that she was a student and got no business in the hotel. Cato looked more like he belonged here despite his chucks, with his semiformal looking grey jacket over a plain blue button up shirt and pants. Oh great. The color of their shirts matched. Imagine that.

This was all wrong. Clove could smell Cato's perfume, and she felt like throwing up. His smell was suffocating her lungs and she couldn't breathe. Her vision became clouded with tears but she held them. The elevator opened and she felt Cato's hand on her wrist beginning to tighten, dragging her out. She cast one last look at the closing elevator doors before being dragged across the hall. She realized now that she has no escape.

The long hallway lined with numbered doors was carpeted and warmly lit. It was quiet with not a soul in sight. Clove straightened and forcefully yanked her wrist free. Cato stared at her with piercing eyes.

"I can walk by myself," Clove said with a strong voice then she looked away.

"Sure," Cato muttered.

They continued walking in silence. They made a few turns here and there and everywhere Clove looked, the walls looked the same. They quickly found room 700 and they moved from there. 603, 604, 605, 606, ... It was yet another countdown.

Clove was getting nervous with every step and thought about just running away. But then there it was. Room 607. She watched as Cato pulled out the key card from his back pocket and opened the door.

"After you," Cato told her as he held the door open for her.

Silently, Clove took a reluctant step in the room. It was beautiful. Everything from the walls and the floor of the small hall immediately following the door, to the greeneries and furniture in the living area itself looked expensive. Clove slowly walked across the hall and in to the said living area like a convict inspecting her death chamber. It was picture perfect but Clove found it hard to appreciate anything.

"Come on," Cato said behind her. He led her to one of the sofas in front of the giant bed and he sank limply. Her hands were cold when he touched them. The girl was obviously terrified.

He took her messenger bag and placed it at a spot beside him on the couch. The other refused to look at him preferring to stare at her lap while fidgeting with the hem of her clothes. Cato walked to the table where an assortment of alcohol sat. He poured himself an entire glass and he downed it in one gulp. Cato was feeling nervous himself. He refilled the glass and walked back to where Clove was quietly sitting and thinking who knows what.

"Hey," he said and Clove jumped looking wildly at Cato. Oh, no. Can he really do it when Clove looked like this?

"Hey," Clove said to acknowledge him. She quickly placed her hands under her thighs to keep them from shaking but Cato saw.

"You looked more convinced in the library earlier," Cato said taking a seat beside her.

"I-I'm fine," Clove said looking at her lap again.

"You want a drink?" Cato asked as he handed Clove his glass of alcohol. "You look like you could use one."

"What is it?" Clove asked eyeing the glass and taking it with shaking hands that some of the liquid spilled on her lap. Cato held Clove's hands to steady them.

"Sorry," Clove mumbled.

"It's okay. It's just wine and it might help with the nerves," he told her.

She nodded and brought the glass to her lips. Cato watched as she took a sip and frowned at the taste.

"It tastes bad," Clove declared like a kid who had been forced to drink her bitter medicine.

"You've never had wine before?" Cato asked.

"I don't drink."

Cato couldn't help but crack a smile. "I'm really the one who's dragging you to the dark side, huh?"

Clove smiled too. "You could say that," she said and for moment they forgot why they we're there. The heavy air cleared. They just sat there in an unfamiliar yet comfortable silence, staring at each other.

That was until a loud ringing suddenly broke the moment. Clove fumbled in her pocket for her cell phone and answered it. Cato groaned. If this was Jackie calling again, then she'll have to face Cato's wrath.

_"I just told mom about your school work with Annie. How's everything?"_

"I'm fine, Kat. I just, uh, arrived at the venue," Clove answered. Cato was watching and listening with great interest. It wasn't Jackie... and venue?

_"Good. Mom is right here beside me and just wants to make sure that you met up with Annie just fine. She won't stop bugging me until I call you."_

"Oh, I'm good. Tell Aunt Marie I'm okay. But I have to go. We're about to start," Clove muttered to her phone and Cato laughed silently beside her.

_"You heard that, mom? Clove's fine. She needs to go now. Right, see you in a bit, Clo."_

"Bye," Clove said and hung up.

"You lied to Katniss, didn't you?" Cato said in an accusing tone.

Clove grudgingly looked away and he took it as a 'yes'. "My, my... What will all the people say if they find out that goody-good Ms. Perfect and innocent Clove Van Roberts isn't as innocent as we all thought?"

"What am I suppose to say?" Clove asked indignantly. "Don't wait up for me tonight because I have a fuck date with you?"

"I don't know and frankly, I don't care either," Cato told her and rose from the couch before starting to pace around the room. "Besides, you're the one who wants this to happen. This is your idea!"

"Only because you're a spoiled brat who wouldn't leave me alone!" Clove spat.

There it was again. Clove's freaking words that just went straight to his being and caused him so much hurt. He didn't deserve this.

"It's always my fault, isn't it Clove?" Cato asked in a sarcastic tone. The other just glared. The weakness and hesitation earlier was gone and the only thing he felt now was anger. "So what are we waiting for? Let's do it already so that this stupid jerk will stop bothering you!"

Cato quickly walked towards Clove and grabbed one of her arms before yanking her up forcefully. Clove winced at the sudden stress at her arm and found herself being roughly pulled up to her feet. Cato grabbed her other arm and tugged her forcefully as he walked to the bed. Clove's heart was racing and she shut her eyes as Cato pushed her on the bed. She landed on her back with a soft thump. Cato was looking down at her with an expression that Clove didn't like.

"What now, huh? Not so tough anymore, Van Roberts?" Cato said as he removed his jacket and threw it at the direction of the sofas.

Clove swallowed. It was happening and hell, she was scared shitless. She was frozen on the spot watching helplessly as the other swiftly unbuttoned his shirt. "No..."

Cato smirked, satisfied to hear the frightened voice. He tossed his shirt carelessly behind him leaving himself naked from waist up. Cato has a very nice toned body. Clove must've blushed really bad the moment she saw his body, because Cato's smirk grew even wider.

"What's that?" he asked as he slowly crawled on top of Clove.

Clove moved back but Cato suddenly grabbed her shoulders and pushed her down. She looked up at Cato's face, feeling the other's weight on her shoulders pinning her down. She swallowed again. "I thought rape isn't your style."

Cato chuckled staring at the girl beneath him. "It's not rape since you agreed to this. Your idea, remember?"

Clove couldn't think of a proper comeback to that one so she stayed quiet. Cato was cutting off the circulation to her arms while she felt a weight settle on her thighs. The hands that was pinning her down were suddenly gone and were now grabbing the front of her hoodie.

Straddling Clove's thighs, Cato used the other's hoodie to slowly lift her upper body up in a sitting position. He smirked as Clove slowly straightened, feeling her body shake. She should be scared.

"This is a bit unfair, don't you think? I lost my shirt and jacket a while ago but you on the other hand, are still fully clothed." Cato found the hoodie's zipper and pulled it down in one swift motion. He then slid the damn thing off Clove's shoulders and down her thin arms before throwing it somewhere in the room. "So let's make it even."

Clove shut her eyes to keep the tears from falling. Cato was going to do it. And to think she almost thought she had fallen for him. She was stupid to think that there could be more than sex just because Cato showed her a few acts of kindness. She was a toy and Cato's going to play with her tonight. He'll throw Clove away after he's through with her.

"I hate you," Clove muttered as she felt her shirt being pulled up.

...

It was just a few minutes before midnight but Katniss was wide awake. She had been checking her phone every five minutes since she made that call on Clove a few hours ago. She anxiously checked it again and sighed at the message-less phone. The house was quiet and her homework sat on her study table waiting to be finished but Katniss can't concentrate right now.

She jumped when her phone rang and answered it on the first ring. "Clove? Are you okay?"

_"Good evening, Everdeen."_

Katniss froze at the voice. It was Peeta. "Why are you calling me?"

_"Listen, Cato is still not home and I have reason to believe that Clove's with him."_

She knew it. Clove's been acting strange after they met her in the school cafeteria for lunch and after Clove told her she'll be late tonight, she knew she was going to settle something with Cato. She didn't want to stick her nose in her cousin's business so she pretended to buy Clove's excuse and made sure her mom won't interfere. "I know. She didn't tell me anything but I just know. Why are you so worried? I thought you told me to give your friend a chance to prove himself to Clove?"

There was a silent but audible groan from the other end before Peeta's voice was speaking again.

_"I know I did but this could be bad."_

Katniss's insides clenched. "How bad?"

_"I got information that Cato made a reservation for a hotel room. I think he took Clove there,"_

Katniss almost dropped the phone. "What? Which hotel?"

"_The Peninsula"_

Katniss could feel panic rising in her throat. "But he can't do that! Clove... She's—"

"I know."

Katniss would have given anything to squash Cato like a bug right now. How could he do this to Clove? She thought Cato was falling for her cousin and she was willing to give him a chance because Clove seemed like she was falling for Cato too. She told herself, just for once, she would trust Cato. She had no idea how big of a mistake that was.

"I think I'm going to kill someone tonight."

...

Cato's anger blazed like wild fire. He grabbed either side of Clove's face before slamming their lips together. She pushed against his chest and made muffled cries of protest but achieved nothing. She resolutely kept her mouth closed despite Cato's attempts to open it. Annoyed, he sucked on her lower lip and bit it hard. The taste of blood mixed with something sweet. which he recognized as the same sweetness he tasted whenever he kissed her, spread as he slid his tongue forcefully into Clove's mouth while sucking on the wounded lower lip.

She couldn't hold it in anymore. Streams of tears rolled down Clove's face wetting both her and Cato's cheeks as the other continued exploring her mouth and tasting her blood. It was too much.

Clove was getting dizzy. Cato's scent filled the air around her. The mixed pain, pressure, and the sensation of Cato's tongue sliding against her drowned her senses. She was still struggling against him but her efforts were in vain. Cato's hand went under her shirt and she gasped into Cato's mouth as she felt the hand grope her everywhere.

After what seemed like hours, Cato suddenly pulled away breathing heavily and still tasting Clove's blood. Clove was panting too but she was staring at him with so much contempt. With disheveled hair, tears running down hr face, and swollen pink lips, Clove looked painfully beautiful. Cato grabbed the hem of her shirt and started pulling it up again to take it off. Clove struggled but Cato succeeded and smirked as he tossed the shirt aimlessly somewhere, along with the other discarded clothes.

This was what he wanted and here was Clove now in front of him, half naked, with only her bra in the way, on a bed with him in a deserted hotel room, just waiting to be claimed. "You're beautiful."

Clove blushed and felt arms wrapping around her hip and pulling her closer. Her torso touched Cato's equally bare one and they both gasped at the contact. Cato moved his arms to enclose Clove's shoulders and rested a hand on the her nape. He leaned in the crook of Clove's neck, pulling gently at her nape so that Clove will make room for him, and inhaled her scent before starting to kiss and lick the skin.

Clove's eyes involuntarily closed and her lips betrayed her when a moan escaped from them. All she could hear was the sound of her own ragged breaths and the noises Cato was making against her skin. She was torn between lust and hate. She couldn't think straight and she wanted to kick her head for being so easy.

Cato smirked when he heard Clove. "I guess I'm not the only one who will enjoy this after all."

A loud snapping noise cut the silence of the room. Cato's right cheek was suddenly stinging with pain where Clove slapped him. Clove was there and still perfect despite the tears running down her face and eyes filled with so much emotion. She was everything he could ever want and it killed him that she will never feel anything for him but hate.

"I hate you." It was more painful than the slap she gave him.

...

Her parents had no idea that she sneaked out of her bedroom window in the middle of the night and jumped in on Peeta Mellark's car for a drive to The Peninsula Hotel. But Katniss didn't care much at the moment. Her head was filled with repeated 'Oh my God Clove!' and 'Die Cato Evans!' alternating.

"Hey, Clove will be fine. You have to trust her," Peeta said as he drove.

"Oh I trust my cousin, alright. It's your freaking friend that I don't trust!" Katniss snapped.

"Don't jump to conclusions. We're not sure that Cato will do anything to Clove," Peeta said defending his friend. "We're just going to check."

"He took her to a freaking hotel room! Of course he's going to do something to my cousin!" Katniss said.

Okay, that was true. Any parent whose son or daughter was taken to a hotel in the middle of the night would probably react in the same way as Katniss if they knew Cato. Peeta internally smiled because hey, he had just compared Katniss Everdeen to a worried sick parent. It suited her just fine.

"But it's not like Cato forced Clove to go with him. Your cousin agreed to come with him or else she wouldn't have lied to you and made an excuse," Peeta countered. Katniss said nothing.

"Anyway, one thing's certain. They're making a huge mistake with this and they could be throwing away their chance at being happy," Peeta said.

Katniss chose to stay quiet and watch the window but they both knew she completely agreed with him.

...

That's it. Cato slowly got off Clove and made his way back to the sofa. He couldn't do it and now he understood why. It had been weeks ago when all of this were only about sex. It had become so much more complicated than that. Besides, he was lying to Clove because even if they did fuck tonight, Cato knew he won't be able to keep away from her anymore. He didn't want to think about suddenly losing her in his life. He let himself fall on the couch clutching his head with both hands.

"I can't do it." Cato announced and then paused before adding one more thing. "You can go."

Clove was still on the bed and she turned to Cato's direction with those words. She placed a finger on the small cut on her lower lip but it felt numb.

"I'll never bother you again if that's what you're worried about. You won't see me again except maybe for chemistry since we're partners. Sucks huh?" Cato muttered and started laughing to himself. He was so screwed.

He felt the space beside him sank and he found Clove seated on it staring at the wall in front of them. She didn't look angry or happy. Her face was unreadable but the wet trail of tears from her eyes made her look more tired than passive. "Why?"

"That's what you want, right? You want to get rid of me and here it is," Cato answered flinching at the words he was saying. They felt so true but why he would promise something that he couldn't do was beyond him. He desperately prayed that Clove would say no.

"True, but that's not what I'm asking," Clove said without hesitation and Cato visibly flinched. "Why can't you do it?"

Clove was staring intently while waiting for him. It was really easy to answer.

"Because you don't want to do it. You hate me," he replied. "I don't want you to hate me."

Clove said nothing and looked away.

"Look, Clo. I might have ruined any chance that I may have with you with what I just did but really, I don't want you to hate me. I understand if you won't talk to me anymore or if you refuse to see me again but please, can you just... let me be near you?" Cato asked in a voice that rang with sincerity. He grabbed Clove's hands.

"You won't even have to acknowledge me. You can pretend that I'm not there and not say a word to me or look at me. But please just let me be near you. Don't distance yourself from me. Please."

Clove was taken aback by Cato's words. What did Cato mean? She suddenly forgot that this guy was about to fuck her just a minute ago and she felt a strong urge to wrap her arms around his shoulders and comfort him. She fought it.

"Is this one more of your little games? Because god, I can't let you toy with my feelings anymore," Clove said. "You seriously need to drop it."

"What? I'm not toying with your feelings!" Cato said throwing his arms in the air. "How can you say that when you are the one toying with my freaking feelings?"

Clove huffed disbelievingly. This guy had no idea what he was talking about. "You listen to me! I came to Chicago trying to forget someone and starting a new life. I was doing fine until you came along! You messed everything up with your bullying, and your friends..."

Cato stared at her as she fumbled with her words. "Don't you understand? One moment you're harassing me and then you're saving me on the next. You are so fucking confusing and I can't take it anymore. If you're going to ruin my life then just do it without those stupid sudden attacks of personality change!"

There was silence again. Cato paused as he took in Clove's words. Clove was crying again. He seemed to be good at doing that, making Clove cry, and now, maybe, he understood. "Are you afraid to fall for me, Clo?"

Clove laughed mirthlessly. "It's too late for that. Because hell, I didn't think anyone could make me forget Johnny. But you did, you freaking did... and"

Cato's hands were suddenly on either side of her face again but this was different. Gently, Cato pulled her closer and placed his lips on the cut he made on Clove's lower lip.

"I'm sorry," Cato said as he pulled away and wrapped his arms around Clove.

"I guess I'm caught up with my own emotions that I didn't notice what I'm doing to you. But don't you see Clo?" Cato asked releasing her and staring at her eyes.

"You also messed me up. There wasn't a single minute that I didn't think about you since the first time we met," he told Clove.

"What do you mean I messed you up?" Clove asked confused.

"I thought you were smarter than this, Van Roberts," Cato teased. "But seriously, I can't get you out of my head no matter what I do, even if I try to go out with other people. Your face, I see it everywhere and I think I'm going crazy."

"You're doing it again," Clove said.

"What?"

"You're having that personality change again."

Cato rose from his seat. "Why is it so hard to believe my words, Clove? Do you hate me so much that you wouldn't think it's possible that I might be serious about you?"

"I don't know, it's kind of hard to believe when just a few minutes ago you were forcing yourself on me." Clove said with her trademark monotone. She didn't need to shout because her words rang true in Cato's ears.

Cato felt ashamed. He almost wanted to just fly somewhere far and never show his face to Clove again but this couldn't keep happening anymore. He couldn't deny the stupid things he had done but he wanted to make Clove understand. He needed Clove to know how he felt. "You listen to me this time! I'm sorry, okay? I was just really mad because you kept saying you hate me and it really, really hurts. No one can do that to me before."

"Well sorry for bruising your ego. I should have been considerate enough to know that no one has said no to you before," Clove muttered.

"That's technically true but that's not the point. What I meant was that no one could hurt me with just words. I didn't care what people say about me before but whenever you tell me how much you hate me and can't stand me, or how much you wanted me to just go away... I... It's like..."

Clove patiently waited for Cato to find the right words this time.

"I don't know. I can't describe just how much it hurts. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I want you, Clove Van Roberts. I want your body and you already know that but I'm hoping that maybe," Cato paused choosing his words carefully, "you'd like to try _us_?"

...

As soon as they reached the hotel lobby, Katniss darted for the elevators leaving Peeta behind to trail after her. She was panicking. Somewhere in this really huge building was Cato doing God knows what to her cousin. She couldn't let it happen dammit!

She was about to get on the elevator and save the day when a hand grabbed her by the shoulder. "Where are you going?"

It was a security guard, one in uniform and surprisingly flat torso. He gently pulled Katniss out of the way where the hotel occupants were busy going around like they're all expected to be somewhere important.

"I'm here to see my cousin. Please, she needs me. It's really urgent," Katniss said.

"Do you know what room your cousin is staying? We'll have to call her first to confirm your identity," the guard said.

"Oh... She don't know that I'm coming but—"

"Sorry kid, but I can't let you up unless I receive a confirmation from one of our guests," the security guard told Katniss mechanically.

"She's with me," Peeta's voice said behind Katniss. Katniss looked at Peeta and back at the security guy and watched Peeta brandish his room key card at the guy's face. "I'm a guest."

"Oh, sorry for the trouble sir," the guy said and immediately stepped away from the elevator.

Katniss followed Peeta as he walked in the lift, a little embarrassed that the other just saved her. The elevator doors closed.

"Security in this hotel is really strict. People are not allowed into the floors with rooms unless they get voice confirmation from their guests but it's easier to just get a room," Peeta told her twirling the metal ring of the key card around his index finger. He grinned at Katniss briefly and turned to face the elevator door. "Don't worry much about Clove. Cato might seem like a bad guy but I don't think he'll hurt your cousin."

"I'll be ready to trust your friend as soon as I get my cousin out of that room," Katniss muttered.

...

"Us?" Clove repeated.

"Yeah. Us," Cato said smiling sheepishly at her. "I think it sounds nice."

"Cato, this is... I don't think—we" Clove started when Cato cut her off.

"I understand. You don't have to give me an answer now. I can wait," Cato said.

Whoa. This night was turning out to be one hell of a rollercoaster ride. Clove didn't know what to say. She had been dealing with her internal struggle to understand her feelings for Cato, while trying to maintain her grades and juggling sidelines in her spare time. This final year at high school was like an hour glass that counted the seconds before the time is up for her to work her way to college. And then there was Johnny to whom she still couldn't forget. There was so much going on in her life and now _this_?

"Can we not talk about this?" Clove asked rubbing her temples.

"No, no. Clo, just hear me out, okay?" Cato said desperately. "I've never felt anything like this before, ever. And I'm willing to do anything to try this."

Clove looked away but he kept going. "I confused you so that must mean I have at least made you consider a 'you and I'. We'll start again. No more bratty attitude. No more games."

"And no more requests," Clove said.

"If you say so," Cato told her.

"You're asking me something that is very difficult to give. It all sounds great but I don't think I'll be ready to trust you anytime soon," Clove said.

Ugh! Why can't Clove just say 'yes'? "Come on Clo. We both know you won't get rid of me anytime soon even if you changed schools. I'll just probably just track you down and follow you until you give me a chance."

Clove sighed deeply. "Tell me exactly what you want."

"For now," Cato began and thought carefully about the next few words that would best convince Clove, "peace. Just peace between the two of us. And maybe become your boyfriend some time after?"

Clove blurted out a laugh and the other stared at her. "I'm serious here."

"Sorry. But I don't think you realize how I see this. It's neither as easy nor simple as you think," Clove said.

"We don't have to make things complicated. All I'm asking is that we start over... maybe... as friends?"

Clove was thinking again. _Friends_. That sounded... _safe_.

"Okay," she said after an eternity.

Cato's eyes were wide and bride while his face looked like it was about to explode with happiness. "Really?"

Clove nodded slowly, still thinking if this was a good idea. In a split second, Cato was beside her and was hugging her like crazy. "Thank you! I knew you won't be able to say no! Oh my God! This is so great!"

"Cato!"

"What?"

"Will you get off me?"

"Oh... sorry," Cato muttered reluctantly letting go of her. "I'm just excited so I got a bit carried away I guess. I didn't think you'd mind because we're friends and all..."

Clove walked back near the bed and picked up her shirt and her hoodie from the floor. She sat on the bed and began putting on her clothes back.

"You know, you can just stay like that if you want. I don't mind since we're friends," Cato said innocently as he watched Clove from the sofa.

"I'm going to get dressed. Stop using the 'since we're friends' phrase on me," Clove said.

"What? I'm just saying that certain things are normal for friends like us," Cato said defensively. "Seriously. You're making a big deal out of everything I say, one might think you see me as more than a friend."

Clove rolled her eyes as she slipped her shirt on. "Whatever, Evans."

Neither of them knew that both their best friends were outside the door, their ears pressed against the wood and listening to their every word.

"Sounds like we're not needed."

* * *

**It went well guys! Lol. I just cant let them do it you know. It's going to be really lost and I don't want that to happen. :) Oh hey, another Everlark moment. Hohoho. Can you feel Cato's vulnerabilty in this chapter? Yeah, me too. Haha. Clove's giving in. Whoohoo! So...do you like it? Tell me what you think guys. I really hope that you enjoyed this story so far. :)**


	22. Chapter Twenty One

"HOW?" Annie exclaimed.

"Yeah, how?" Finnick agreed.

Both of them were looking at Clove with eyes the size that she didn't believe was possible. Apparently, it was, with a little story that involved Cato, Clove, a hotel room, mentions of sex, and the word friendship.

It was already lunch time when they got to see each other and Clove never thought that telling the story would make all of them lose their appetites. They were sitting at the table in the cafeteria and narrating the story out loud might get Clove in a really bad situation. There were still some Cato fans eyeing her and looking at her like a dead meat. She figured that if she just shrug them off, they'll stop. But she was wrong. Those people were just too immature for Clove to care though.

Clove rolled her eyes. "I just told you and I'm not saying the story twice. It happened yesterday and the important detail in it is that Cato and I agreed to be friends."

"So I did hear correctly," Finnick muttered to himself.

"But—But he tried to devirginize you! Freaking bastard. And now he's going to be friends with you Clo?" Annie ranted angrily.

"I think what's more confusing is how the hell he managed to convince you to let him take you to that hotel. Seriously, if he used any major blackmailing or guns, we can have him arrested," Finnick told her.

Katniss sighed. She had the same reaction as Annie and Finnick when Clove told her the whole story last night but this two didn't hear what Peeta and her heard from the other side of the hotel room's door. She wouldn't have cared if Cato swallowed a cup of nails to ask for forgiveness but hearing Clove and Cato talk last night, it was like everything seemed to flow naturally between them, that everything will just fall into their proper places and make sense despite the enormous difference between them. So she let Clove go, thinking that she didn't make a mistake by trusting Cato. Maybe.

"I told you already. I was just so tired of having to deal with him and at that point I felt like I wanted to end everything. He didn't force me to go with him because I willingly went," Clove explained patiently. Annie and Marvel were just concerned, she told herself.

"Right, right," Annie muttered to herself as if she just remembered being told something like that and then her face looked confused. Again. "So how did it go from 'I want to fuck you' to 'I want to friend you' again?"

"I don't think the 'I want to fuck you part' is gone," Katniss said. "Basically, Cato told Clove that he's willing to tone his attitude down a bit so that Clove would agree to be friends with him and they'll get to know each other. That's all."

"How did you know that?" Finnick asked Katniss.

Oh right. Katniss forgot to tell them about her own late-night escapade with Peeta. "Peeta called me last night and told me about Cato's booked hotel room. We, uh, drove down to the hotel to follow Clove and Cato."

Annie, Clove, and Finnick were all looking at her with stunned expressions.

"You what?" Clove asked.

"The sky is falling," Finnick announced.

"Jeez, why don't you cousins just run off to your castles with your brat princes?" Annie asked.

"I was desperate okay? My cousin was about to get herself into trouble and I wasn't going to go to that hotel on my bike." Katniss countered.

"Thank you, Kat," Clove said. Katniss smiled at her.

"Needless to say, you and Mellark bonded last night too," Annie said smirking.

Katniss glared at her. "The issue here is Clove and Cato, not Peeta and me."

"Wait. You told us that you don't want to involve yourself in any kind of reationship after your break up with your ex, right?," Finnick suddenly said looking at Clove. "It's obvious this whole 'I want to friend you' deal is just something to get your trust. Cato will surely ask you to be his girlfriend so what will you do if he does?"

Clove was silent for a moment. "I honestly don't know."

"Not as hard to get as you were now, are you?" Annie asked her smirking lightly. Clove just shook her head smiling but didn't say anything.

...

The boys' bathroom at the third floor of the school's main building was deserted except for three very popular boys. Marvel was in front of the giant mirror of the sink, leaning against it with one elbow while his other arm's fingers held a lighted cigarette which slowly gave off smoke. He took a long drag and watched the smoke coming from his lips as he spoke.

"How about the club? Everyone wants to go to clubs," Marvel suggested.

Cato impatiently kicked his dangling foot in the air and stared at Marvel like he was the cause of all human sufferings. He was seated on the bathroom sink, his chin resting on the palm of his right hand. "Clove wouldn't like that. I want something really simple and normal. Like, uh, I don't know... God, I don't have any idea how other people spend their free time these days."

Peeta laughed lightly from his leaning position against the bathroom wall. "It's really easy. Think of things you can do that will not involve alcohol, a lot of money, violating curfew, having sex, and angering parents."

"Oh shit," Marvel muttered chuckling.

"Fuck," Cato agreed but he wasn't laughing.

"This will be the death of you, Evans. I can feel it," Marvel told him.

"I am seriously agreeing with you," Cato said.

Peeta sighed. "We're planning an innocent, simple and fun friends' day out. How hard can that be?"

"Very hard," Marvel said before he took in another drag. "And I don't understand why we have to go too. Cato made this friend agreement with Van Roberts, not me."

"If I go out with Clove alone, supposing that she'd even agree to do that, it will not be an innocent day out with a friend. It would be a date," Cato said managing to make it sound like a date was the last thing he wanted to have with Clove. "I'll invite Katniss, Finnick and Annie too so I can't go alone. They'll eat me alive."

"Okay. I'll go," Marvel said. "And I suppose Mr. Mellark will gladly come as long as Katniss will be there?"

Peeta smiled at him. "Of course."

"Peeta's right. There must be a million things that we can do with Clove and his friends. We just haven't thought of them yet," Cato muttered.

"I got it!" Marvel exclaimed excitedly slamming his palm against the sink.

"You do?" Cato and Peeta asked in unison.

Marvel smirked and nodded.

"Tell us already," Cato said impatiently.

"The mall."

Cato looked disappointed. "That's boring."

"Exactly," Marvel said. "Clove and her friends will love it."

Cato glared at him.

"Maybe it is boring but it's safe Cato. We can eat there and then have a look around," Peeta said.

Cato paused. The mall? The last time he went to the mall was months ago because one of the girls he was dating insisted that he came with her so that he could help pick out an outfit for a party. They looked in every store for hours until Cato's feet started to kill him. He hated it. But then again, Clove will surely agree to go there...

"The mall it is," Cato finally said.

...

Clove entered the chemistry lab almost ten minutes after the bell rang. She was panting as she glanced at the empty teacher's table. She sighed in relief and took her time in making her way to her seat at the back.

"Wow. I'm actually on time for a class and you are not," Cato said as Clove slumped down her seat beside him. "What happened to you?"

"He found me," Clove said putting her bag down.

The first thing that entered Cato's head was 'Oh no! Her ex!' but then realized that Clove looked really calm for someone who just ran into her ex-boyfriend. And he was in a far away place called Ireland... So no. "Who's he?"

"Mr. Meyer," Clove answered taking out her notebook and pen. "He asked about the work we haven't finished in the reserve section of the library."

"What did you tell him?" Cato asked relieved and considerably happier.

"I told him I'll be there after class, of course. He's been holding a grudge against me since he caught me reading on the floor. I have to gain some good points from him. Good thing it's Friday and I don't have work tonight," Clove said.

"Oh great. We'll finish the work later," Cato said happily barely hearing what Clove said.

"I thought you don't want to help me with those?" Clove asked staring at Cato.

"That was yesterday. Today, I feel like doing anything for a friend," he replied with a smile.

Clove couldn't help but return the smile before quickly looking away. Friends, she reminded herself. The door opened and there was an eruption of groans as the teacher entered with her signature pop quiz on long white papers.

"Pop quiz!" she announced and started handing out the papers as she went around the room.

"Hey," Cato called Clove in a low voice.

"Hnm?" Clove said raising an eyebrow at him.

Cato grinned goofily. "Can I copy?"

"From me?" Clove asked.

"No, from Marvel." Cato huffed. "Of course you, duh,"

"No," Clove told her. They received their papers wordlessly. Clove started scribbling her answers down while making sure that her arm blocked Cato's line of sight.

"I'll remember this day, Van Roberts. The day that I needed help and you denied me yours," Cato muttered before turning to his own paper.

Sweet baby jesus. What in the world is this? Cato stared down his paper trying to make sense of the letters, arrows, numbers, and small other symbols that he didn't remember ever having to do anything with his life. He looked at the top of the page and reread the instructions.

_Balance the following chemical equations.  
_  
Balance? He's supposed to fucking _balance_these things? Cato sighed resigned to the inevitable outcome of this quiz. Oh well, He scanned the rest of the questions and found the same letters and arrows in different combinations. At the bottom of the page, there was a bonus question with a chemical reaction that looked familiar.

_Bonus: Balance the following redox reaction._

Redox! Freaking test tubes, this was the exact same question that they had when they were doing their experiment! He was sooo into impressing Clove that he memorized all the numbers and stuff while doing the activity. He never thought he'd answer anything from this paper much less the bonus question but he happily scribbled down what he remembered.

"Time's up. Pass the papers forward please," the teacher told the class and there was rustling of papers. She quickly scanned the papers in her arms after receiving them and shook her head. "We've been balancing chemical reactions for more than a week now and still many of you have blank papers. I expect more from you seniors."

"How did you do?" Clove asked Cato in a soft voice.

"I couldn't answer a thing," Cato said. Clove shrugged.

"The first wave of exams is in two weeks and none of you are ready except for maybe handful of people," Mrs. Higgins said.

Cato glanced at Clove but her seatmate was watching and listening to their teacher without a hint of superiority on her face. If anything, Clove looked bored.

"I might do something about this to help you prepare but for now, we have an experiment. Get your materials ready while I go get the necessary compounds," their teacher said and went out of the lab again.

After a few minutes, she was back holding a tray of assorted glass wares that contained the materials. She explained the flow of the experiment and warned the class of the dangers of HCl, and off they went to perform the experiment. Clove went to the front to get their materials while Cato stayed at their table preparing the glass wares and burner. They made a good team and the experiment was done in a flash. Everyone hurried out of the classroom when the bell rang.

"I'm starving," Cato muttered while he stuffed his lab coat in his bag.

Clove pretended not to hear him as she placed her own lab coat in her bag. She quickly closed it and slung the strap on her shoulder. "See you at the library after class," she muttered quickly before heading for the door.

"Wait!" Cato said but Clove was already at the door. He sighed. He didn't even have the chance to tell Clove about the day out. He quickly and carelessly closed his bag and put it on his shoulder before dashing after Clove.

...

The next day, Cato told Clove that Peeta, Marvel and himself would like to join her and her friends at lunch. Clove hesitated at first because seriously... Just imagining it could make her brain explode. But nevertheless, she accepted his offer. At least he was trying right? At least he was trying to low his standards in order to earn her trust. It was really nice to kow that the Almighty Cato would do these kind of things. She never really expected Cato to do it, because it will be really hard, especially when her friends hate him so much to point where they all want to chop his head off. But this could be the start of something good, right?

The school cafeteria was noisy and crowded. Like all other social settings, the students went in and seated themselves in some sort of order that was unnamed but clearly defined and understood. Near the lunch lady was the table of the jocks who never won a single game in their life but still liked to go for second helpings of protein to make their muscles bigger. The neighboring table was occupied by the typical cheerleaders who just had to be beside their athletes even in the school cafeteria. Go figure. At the middle area were tables occupied by several circles of friends. The smart ones, the dumb ones, the weird ones, the emo ones, the fashionistas, the band people, and everything else in between. At the side of this colorful mass was the prominent table that everyone in the school wished they could use. At the opposite end near the other wall was another table where the smallest group of friends always ate lunch.

The prominent table was still noisy and happy despite it missing three regulars. The table at the opposite end was more quiet than usual, which was ironic because there sat three more people aside from the four ones that usually sat there.

"Well, this is fun," Cato said happily before taking a large bite of his sandwich.

Clove just stared at him like he was losing his mind and turned to her own food. Marvel and Peeta exchanged nervous looks before awkwardly digging in to their own food trays. Finnick munched on his fries normally, even managing to give Cato, Marvel, and Peeta occasional smiles after he had offered them some. Annie tried to copy Finnick but her smiles were stiff and she refused to offer their 'guests' anything. Katniss ate in top speed.

"Okay, this is weird. Why are these guys here?" Annie asked finally after a long time of silent eating and noticing the eyes watching their table.

Marvel glared at her and was about to say something when Peeta grabbed his arm and squeezed it. Katniss gave Annie a warning look.

"We uh, we thought it would be a good idea to eat with you guys. We've been in the same school since first year and we never really had a proper conversation," Cato said casually.

"Maybe it's because you were too busy bullying everybody that you failed to squeeze us in your schedule," Annie said looking straight at Cato.  
Cato's smile vanished looking down at his food with a guilty expression. He waited a little but realized that Clove wasn't going to step in. He looked at Annie. "I'm sorry about that. I was a jerk and I shouldn't have done that."

"Damn right you shouldn't!" Annie said glaring at him but didn't say anything else.

Clove watched the scene unfold in front of her while pretending to eat. Cato hadn't said a single word of retort or excuse, choosing to just take everything Annie was throwing at him in. Clove fidgeted with the hem of her shirt under the circular table. He almost felt sorry for Cato but Annie deserved to give him a piece of her mind.

"You don't know how many people you've hurt because of that silly game. You should be ashamed of yourself," Annie said.

"Hey! Watch your mouth!" Marvel exclaimed angrily pointing a finger at her.

Cato grabbed Marvel's arm and pushed it down. "It's okay."

"But this loser is insulting you at your face! We can't just let him do that," Marvel told Cato.

"I deserve it. Just let it go man," Cato muttered in a low voice but Clove caught every word.

"Whatever," Marvel said and rose from his seat. "I'm out of here," he announced before leaving the table and walking out of the cafeteria making all eyes follow him as he went.

Cato internally groaned and glared at his drink. He turned to Annie again. "Sorry about that. Marvel can be a big asshole sometimes but he's really a good guy once you get to know him."

Annie sighed and did not say anything. Cato chanced a glance at Clove and he was met with the other's emerald eyes. Their gazes locked for a moment before Clove looked away.

"Sorry for ruining your lunch," Peeta said smiling apologetically.

None of them could think of a proper response or felt the need to think of one. Cato casually watched Clove but the girl avoided meeting his eyes again.

"Maybe we should save eating lunch together for now," Finnick told Katniss and Peeta. "At least until some of this anger and awkwardness clears off."

Cato completely agreed. "Yeah."

What was he thinking? Joining your friends for lunch was really something people do but Clove, Annie, Katniss, and Finnick weren't exactly his friends. Yet. He should have known that old wounds were still there and he was just rubbing salt on them by bringing Peeta and Marvel along with him. He was lucky Katniss seemed to choose to keep quiet for Clove's sake but Annie failed to contain her anger at him. And who could blame her?

It was wrong, plain and simple. But truthfully, Cato didn't care much. He had done it before and he'd do it again but the look in Clove's eyes whenever she stared at Cato made him feel ashamed of himself. He felt like he wanted to be something Clove can be proud of.

Peeta and Cato rose and slowly walked out of the cafeteria which was in complete silence. Cato glanced at Clove's direction one last time before closing the cafeteria door behind him.

...

"Hey," Peeta greeted.

"Hey," Marvel said. He took one last drag from his cigarette before dropping it on the concrete floor of the parking lot and crushing it under his shoes. He sat on the driver's seat of his yellow convertible parked under a tree with the door open while watching the sun burn the hoods of the neighboring cars.

"Cato told me to tell you that you're an ass and you should just drive off the cliff," Peeta said settling on the yellow hood.

"Yeah? Well at least I'll die because I chose to. Inside my car and probably with a dozen bottles of booze at the passenger's seat," Marvel said. "Evan's going crazy."

Peeta laughed. "Maybe, but I know he's really happy about it."

Marvel huffed loudly. "He's an idiot."

There was a soft breeze that suddenly blew and made the dust and dried leaves fly. Peeta and Marvel frowned at the wave of flying dirt particles, feeling the warm wind bake the air that they breathe.

"Our friend really hit it bad. The least we could do is to give him our support," Peeta said.

"I know," Marvel muttered. "I lost my cool back there but I'll try to not let it happen again. I just couldn't stand someone saying all those things at our faces. Cresta was out of line."

"Cato had been out of line for quite some time now and Annie has every right to say so. Put a sock in it, man. At least for Cato," Peeta said.

Marvel sighed. "I'll try, okay? I can't promise anything but I'll try. I just don't get why Cato's putting up with all these just for Clove. I mean, okay, Clove's hot and I'd probably do her if Cato didn't but come on! Why couldn't he just... fuck the girl already and move on?"

Peeta laughed at the very confused look on Marvel's face. "Even if I explain it to you, it wouldn't make any sense."

"And you understand?" Marvel asked raising an eyebrow.

"I think so. Yeah," Peeta answered smiling lightly.

"Pfftt... It's the _falling in love_thing again, isn't it?" Marvel asked shaking his head slightly. Peeta grinned at him.

"Both of you are going crazy. I'll call the asylum for you guys and make sure you're roommates so that you could proof-read each other's love poems and all," Marvel said grinning too.

"Good idea, but make a reservation for three. We don't know when you're going to join us," Peeta said.

Marvel laughed loudly in a sarcastic tone and gave Peeta a sly grin. "As if."

* * *

**Hey guys! :)How do you like it? :) Can you smell a new pairing? Hmmm... Because I do. Hahaha. Can you guess? Lol. Thanks for reading guys! ... So uhhhmmmm... I have quite a bad news. Our classes starts today and I think I won't be able to update as fast as I usually do. So I'm very sorry for that. I need to focus on my studies so I don't know... But I will update! No need to worry. :)**


	23. Chapter Twenty Two

**I really appreciate all of the reviews that you all gave me. It's the reason why I'm still writing this. Without all of you, I wouldn't even go this far. So... Here's a long chapter for all of you. It's a treat! :) Enjoy!**

* * *

Cato was happy. No. Cato was freaking ecstatic.

"Life is beautiful," he said out loud behind the steering wheel and proceeded to whistle a happy tune he had heard from somewhere he couldn't really remember.

It was early in the morning and Cato had at least thirty more minutes before his first class started but he was already driving on the familiar roads to New Trier. This was the third time this week that he was actually on his way to school thinking about getting there on time. Three consecutive days and he noticed he actually liked to drive in the morning. His window was down and the radio wasn't playing anything. A cup of hot coffee was on the holder giving off a pleasant morning smell while the young driver savors the soft breeze and sunshine. Cato was contemplating whether to turn on his radio to look for a happy song when suddenly, a jogger crossed the street. Cato hit the breaks just in time.

"What the—f"

"Sorry man!" said the jogger in his sweat pants, smiling apologetically at him. He had the earphones of his iPod in his ears and clearly wasn't paying any attention to the road when he suddenly decided to cross it.

If it had been any other day that Cato almost ran over him, he would have stepped on the gas pedal and taught the idiot a lesson about street safety. But today was today so no one will be a victim of hit and run.

"Yeah, whatever man. Just be careful," Cato said slightly returning the smile before stepping on the gas again. The man bowed his head a little and whistled dreamily as the expensive sports car drove past him and sped off. Beautiful day.

Images from the mall outing he had with Clove and her friends were flashing like a slideshow in his mind and he was idiotically grinning into the road.

_As it turned out, Peeta and Finnick shared the same passion for a band called Panic! At The Disco and ended up arguing about which song of the band was best. Katniss joined in as she too liked the songs of the said band and the debate went on until they were all hungry and decided to have some pizza._

_"I Write Sins Not Tragedies was one of their popular songs," Finnick said after he swallowed his big bite of pizza._

_"Yeah, I totally agree. It's like one of those really unique songs with all the cello and stuff," Katniss said over her slice of pepperoni pizza._

_"I agree. One would listen to that song and go 'fuck that's new' because of the overall sound," Peeta said. "Really innovative."_

_"I like the lyrics though," Marvel said smirking suggestively._

_"Yeah. The perfect ending to douche bags who wants to marry someone who's basically a whore," Clove said in a boring tone before biting into her own slice._

_Cato and Marvel involuntarily snorted into their pizza while Peeta coughed choking on his. Annie and Finnick just exchanged very amused looks._

_"Don't you agree?" Clove asked her face unreadable._

_There was a murmur of 'yeah' and 'definitely' around the table and Clove nodded slightly._

_"Can you pass the hot sauce?" Clove asked nonchalantly._

_Peeta blinked at Clove who was looking at him and then at the bottle of hot sauce resting beside his plate. "Sure," he said and passed the bottle._

_"Thanks," Clove said._

_Peeta, Marvel, and Cato decided they had enough talk about the song and stirred the conversation towards other things that are happier and free from any mentions of whore brides and sex._

_What felt weird about the rest of the meal was that it didn't feel as weird as it should had been. Sure there were a few awkward moments here and there but everyone in the table eventually got back on the conversation which seemed to miraculously flow naturally, considering that they were a group of people who went out together for the first time and had a very nasty past. They ate, talked, laughed even and then went out of the pizza place feeling more comfortable and at ease than before._

_This time, Cato made sure he walked beside Clove so when he saw her rose from her seat, he quickly followed suite and walked swiftly to her side as casually as he could. Katniss, Finnick, and Annie were getting along just fine with Peeta and Marvel this time though._

_"That went well," Cato said._

_Clove glanced at him and then grinned. "Yeah."_

_They walked in comfortable silence with occasional bursts of conversation about random topics that came from anything they saw. Cato was surprised by how easy it was to like Katniss, Annie, and Finnick but then again, they were Clove's friends and people say you'll see one's true self on her friends. He saw Clove in them and that made things really easy._

_After some time, Cato decided it was about time to get into action and get Clove alone with him. He was happy with the way this outing was turning out but come on, he was with Clove on a Saturday afternoon outside school. He had to make something happen. Anything. He can do it. Just an innocent little favor from a new friend..._

_"Shoot!" Cato interjected dramatically making sure Clove heard him clearly. Everybody turned to him._

_"What is it?" Finnick asked._

_"I forgot my phone in the car," Cato said looking really bothered and worried._

_"Do you need to call someone? You can use mine," Marvel said and fished his phone out for him._

_Cato wanted to smack the back of Marvel's head but instead, he smiled painfully and sighed acting disappointed yet grateful. "No can do man. I'm expecting a call."_

_"Let me guess. One of your girlfriends?" Marvel said quickly without thinking and Cato really did smack the back of his head._

_"Ow!"_

_"No, you idiot!" Cato said and chanced a glance at Clove. His insides dropped when he locked eyes with her but Clove quickly looked away to stare at something across the wide area of the mall intersection._

_"Oh... shit dude, I... it's your... errr," Marvel said finally catching on. Peeta smacked his palm on his forehead._

_"My father. He said he's going to call today," Cato said making sure he gave the the word 'father' enough stress._

_"Right," Marvel said smiling apologetically._

_Katniss, Annie, and Finnick were casting worried looks at Clove who was suddenly fascinated at a couple of middle-aged women inquiring about something on the information desk. Cato wanted to cry._

_"Peeta," Katniss called smiling enthusiastically. Too enthusiastically._

_"Yes?" Peeta asked nervously._

_"Why don't we go check what's on the theaters today while the rest waits for Cato to get his phone?" Katniss asked. If they weren't watching Katniss Everdeen while she was saying this, they would think that it was just a very cleverly planned yet innocent suggestion. But they were watching so everyone except for Clove saw the authority behind Katniss's little suggestion and the unsaid threat directed towards Peeta._

_"I think I'll go too. I want to know what movies are showing," Annie said casually rubbing her fist on her shirt._

_Finnick and Marvel looked alarmed. "I think I'm going too," Finnick announced._

_"Yeah, me too," Marvel added. "Clove can accompany Cato and then we'll all meet up outside the movie house."_

_"Great idea," Cato said and quickly grabbed Clove's wrist and pulled her towards the opposite direction._

_After a couple of minutes of silent walking, Clove spoke, making Cato jump. "You didn't have to worry about me."_

_"Sorry," Cato said automatically. He stared at the people but didn't really see them. It was noisy yet Clove's low and monotonous voice was clear._

_"You're really confident, aren't you?" Clove asked._

_Cato stared at her confused. "What?"_

_Clove laughed shaking her head lightly. "You thought I was jealous of your 'girlfriends' earlier."_

_Cato smiled. "Aren't you?"_

_"No," Clove said._

_"And you're still in denial," Cato told him putting his hands in his jean pockets and smiling at the floor. "Admitting you like someone is not a bad thing, Clo. Especially when that someone is dying to be with you."_

_Clove felt suddenly hot around the collar. She could feel Cato watching her but she avoided to catch his eyes. Outside, she looked incredibly calm and unreadable but she was having a panic attack inside. She was feeling the very strong urge to say something but she couldn't find the words. She felt really happy and excited yet unimaginably terrified at the same time. How can Cato do this to her?_

_"I understand that this is all new to you and it didn't help that I was a dick but really, you can trust me," Cato said against the blurred chatting and laughing of all the people. "I'll never hurt you."_

_Clove almost dropped dead at those words but she managed to pull it together and act calm. She felt so happy and just wanted to give in but she just wouldn't. Why can't she just... say yes? Just say yes already dammit!_

The good aura remained with him even until he reached school. Marvel and Peeta exchanged confused and amused looks when Cato came waltzing in the entrance and moonwalked his way to the lockers.

"Good morning Marvel. Good morning Peeta," he said bowing at them in turn. "Oohh... like the hoodie, Marvel. It suits your complexion."

Marvel raised an eyebrow. "Dude, I wear purple hoodies almost everyday."

"And you said it made him look like an eggplant," Peeta said.

Cato frowned as he extracted some notebooks from his locker and... hell, where were his pens? "I did?"

"Only everyday," Marvel told him.

"Ohh..." Cato muttered as he continued to dig through the piles of jacket, forgotten and possibly broken iPod, assortment of earphones, half-eaten snacks, and a lot of other random things he had no idea how they got in his locker. He found a box of crayons beneath the messy pile and shrugged before putting it in his bag along with the notebooks.

"Anyway,Thresh thinks it would be cool if we can go over at their beach house next week for three days. He's going to invite his really hot cousin," Marvel said.

"The one we saw at a hotel when we ran into them?" Peeta asked.

"Yeah. That's the one," Marvel answered smirking.

Both of their attentions were suddenly caught by Cato's very audible huff.

"What?" Marvel asked irritated.

"Well aren't you forgetting something?" Cato asked looking at both of them.

"We obviously did," Peeta answered.

"How about school? Three days away and we'll miss a lot of things," Cato told them.

"Whoa!" Peeta said while Marvel interjected a very surprised 'time out!'

"Since when did you care about school, Evans?" Marvel asked.

"I don't believe this," Cato said shaking his head at his friends' reaction. Was it that weird?

"Neither do I," Peeta said laughing lightly while Marvel nodded in agreement. "Please don't tell me you actually read the reading assignment."

"Chapter four of the book? The one about Aristotle?" Cato asked.

"Oh God, he did," Marvel said smacking a palm against his forehead.

"Psshh... Of course not," Cato said.

"Thank you," Marvel said to the ceiling while throwing his arms in the air.

"I had to read up on chemistry and I fell asleep after that," Cato added and Marvel stared at him.

"Who are you and what did you do to our friend?" Marvel asked him seriously while grabbing both of his arms.

"So I sometimes skip and let school work pile up. All of us do it. That doesn't mean I don't care about school," Cato said smiling inwardly. "I didn't know that me studying would be so weird. I'm offended."

"What is it this time, Cato?" Peeta asked.

"What?" Cato asked innocently.

"You won't read a textbook if you're not up to something because it will kill you. Come on, spit it out."

Peeta knew him too well. "Now I'm really hurt. I'm just setting my academic life straight. What's wrong about that?"

"Liar," Marvel said.

Cato rolled his eyes and smiled. "And I'm not missing school for Thresh's beach house."

"Of course you will. Next week is our batch's school trip. The rest of the seniors won't be here anyway so you won't be missing any lessons, nerdy boy," Peeta said.

Of course. How could he forget? Their school regularly had this school trips annually to some boring places for around three days. Cato and his friends have decided in their first year that it wasn't worth their time so they have used each opportunity to go somewhere else and have some real fun time.

"Oh yeah..." Cato said.

"So you're coming?" Peeta asked as they started to walk to nowhere in particular. The hallways are getting more crowded by the minute.

"Of course he's coming," Marvel said before Cato could answer. "Or would you rather be trapped on some mountain for three or four days?" he asked turning to Cato.

"Hell no," Cato said and bumped fists with Marvel.

...

"...so hand it in by Wednesday. Read more about Aristotle after that and then we'll have more philosophers before the midterms," the teacher said and the class grunted lazy noises of affirmation. He seemed satisfied.

"Good. Now I have a good news and a bad news for you all, so which one do you want to hear first?" he asked and the class fell silent to pay attention.

"Bad news," they all muttered scattered.

"Okay, let's start with the good news. The good news is that I'm canceling your scheduled long exam for next week and the two papers about Plato that I was going to make you do," the teacher said.

There was an eruption of joys and cheers so the teacher strained his voice for his bad news to be heard.

"Okay, okay, settle down. The bad news, you're going to write a four-page narrative about any social scientific aspect of Harney Peak in the Black Hills that you can find in your school trip next week," he said.

Clove's face fell. She quickly raised her hand.

"Yes, Van Roberts?"

"Black Hills?"

"Yes, you heard right Van Roberts. Do you have a problem with that?"

Katniss winced at what she knew was coming.

"Well, I thought the school trip wasn't compulsory. I can't afford going to that trip sir so I don't think I can write anything about it," Clove explained.

The teacher eyed Clove from head to foot irritated. The girl was indeed right, the trip wasn't compulsory but he thought all of the students are going since that had been the trend for years. He forgot that Clove was a scholar and didn't have the money like the rest of the kids. But heck, he was a teacher and he wouldn't admit his mistake. Bush should admit he did have an undercover operation ordered in Iraq first! Clove seemed to have guessed what he was thinking.

"Can I just take the long exam and hand in the papers?" Clove asked hopefully.

Another thing was that he hadn't even plan to make that long exam questionnaire in the first place. "No."

And again, Clove seemed to have guessed it. "Why not?" she asked suspiciously.

The whole class was watching their exchange and the teacher felt a bead of sweat roll down his back. "Well, uh, I have decided that uh, for the sake of equality, you and your classmates should have the same work to do."

Clove looked unconvinced.

"And, I want this to be more of a practical exam. You observing and comparing your surroundings with what I thought you in class," he said coughing a little and then rubbing his rounded belly.

Clove tried to argue again but after her teacher warned her of detention, she was forced to stuff her fist into her mouth for the remainder of the period while wishing her teacher will be struck by the most powerful lightning and then fed to the dogs in small, crispy bits. It was unfair. When the school trip announcement was posted on the hallway walls yesterday, Clove had already decided she won't be going because not only was she on a budget too tight to afford it but she was also planning do some more sidelines while her classmates were away. Katniss could go if she wanted but she said she'll stay to accompany her cousin. Now, they both had to go.

After the bell rang, Clove was the first one out of the door. She couldn't take seeing the stupid face of their teacher anymore.

"I can talk to dad later about the trip," Katniss said catching up with her in the corridors.

Clove stopped to face her. "Kat, he could barely send you on that trip. You can't ask him to send me as well."

"But you have to go," Katniss said frustrated. She knew too that as much as her father would love to pay for Clove's school trip too, he wouldn't be able to afford it. Finnick and Annie caught up with them.

"If I had known you'll need the money, I would have saved some and postponed the purchase of my camera lens," Annie announced.

"I think I have some money in my piggy bank," Finnick said. "But I have to warn you, it won't be much. The last time I shook it, it was noisy as hell."

"I can't believe it. You two are supposed to be rich!" Katniss told them and Clove laughed lightly.

"Sorry," they said but Katniss just huffed.

"It's okay. I appreciate you all wanting to help me. But even if Finnick and Annie did have money to lend me, I would have declined," Clove said.

"Why am I not surprise?" Annie asked rhetorically.

"But Clo, we—ne" Katniss started.

"I'll think of something. Anyway, I have chemistry in two minutes so I'll see you guys at lunch," Clove said and walked away before Katniss became more freaked out than her.

...

The whole room through Cato's eyes became bright and his feet started to feel giddy at the sight of the chemistry lab door opening and revealing Clove coming in with her usual serious face. Cato straightened his posture and brushed off the nonexistent dust from his shirt before giving his hair a final comb with his fingers. He brought out his notebook in chemistry and opened it to the page where he copied some of the stoichiometry problems he read from his last night's reading and waited for Clove to settle in the seat beside him.

"Good morning," Cato greeted as Clove sat on the chair and let her messenger bag slid down the floor.

"Hey," Clove said monotonously without looking at him.

"Umm... I've been studying last night and I read these problems from the book. I tried but I couldn't find the answer to them," Cato said pointing at his notes.

However, Clove was staring off at somewhere in front and didn't seem to hear him.

"Clove?"

The other just continued staring as if she didn't hear anything. Cato was annoyed.

"Clove Van Roberts! Will you look at me please?" Cato said loudly while tapping Clove's arm forcefully.

"Huh... What?" Clove said finally facing him.

"I asked you if you will marry me," Cato said. Clove pushed his arm away, rolling her eyes.

"No, I'm just kidding. I was asking for your help with these stoich problems and you're in another dimension. What's the matter?" Cato said chuckling a little.

"Nothing. I just, uh... right. Let me see that," Clove said and grabbed the notebook and pen from him before starting to scribble.

Cato stared at her suspiciously. "What is it?"

"First, you should find the molar mass of all the reactants and then convert the solution into liters before—y"

"Not that," Cato said and grabbed his notebook back. "I meant you. What is it that's bothering you? Oh, and don't even start with that 'it's nothing' crap."

Clove paused for a moment thinking of something before smiling at him and he almost fell off his seat. "Well, me and... Finnick had a little... err.. disagreement earlier. It was my fault and I really regret it."

Clove didn't want to tell Cato about her real problem. She was willing to bet everything she owned that Cato will surely offer, if not force her his help and Clove will just refuse. They've known each other for less than half a year and they've been friends only last week so there was no way Clove was taking Cato's money. No freaking way. She wasn't even planning to ask Frank for help so why would she let Cato?

Cato nodded and patted her back. "You'll fix this. Do you want me to do anything for you? Talk to Finnick or something?"

Clove shook her head. "No. I'll sort it out later at lunch."

Cato smiled. "Okay." He gave Clove another pat at the shoulder and a warm smile before going back to his notebook.

Clove felt a very strong urge to spill her guts at that moment to Cato but she stopped herself.

...

The whole cafeteria was watching Clove, Finnick, Katniss and Annie as they walked to their usual table carrying their trays. Apparently, they still haven't forgotten the little get together lunch incident with Cato and his friends. It was obvious with the way they were watching them and then keeping an eye out at the door for the other party to arrive.

"Just ignore them. We have a different problem that's more important at the moment," Katniss said as she set her tray in front of her. They all nodded.

"You know what? I've been thinking. If I could sell some of my old stuff online then maybe I can get the money to pay for your trip," Annie said happily.

Clove smiled at her. "Nah... It's okay. You don't have to sell any of your stuff for me." Besides, Annie might have been born to wealthy family but Clove was quite sure her personal savings would amount more than Annie's. "But thanks."

"Just accept my help Clo," Finnick said. "It isn't much but it's a start. I won't take no for an answer."

"Finnick—I"

"Won't take no for answer? To what?"

Clove, Katniss, Finnick and Annie turned to look at Cato who was suddenly behind Finnick holding his tray. "What Finnick?"

Finnick glanced at Clove uncertainly and then at Cato. "Well, I was just trying to—"

"Fix things with Clove?" Cato asked.

Clove immediately answered 'yeah' while Finnick said 'not really' at the same time.

"Uhuh..." Cato said uncertainly looking from Finnick to Clove.

"Finnick was just saying that we have to be friends again and that he won't take no for an answer," Clove said quickly and glanced at Finnick. "Right?"

"Oh, yeah. Sure. We have to be friends again..." Finnick muttered.

Cato was unconvinced but decided to let it slide for now, writing a mental note to do some more prodding with Clove later. He nodded and then placed his tray beside Clove's. "Peeta and Marvel need to talk to Thresh about something so they're not joining us today. I'm just going to get something. I'll be back," he said before leaving the table.

"Friends again? What the hell Clove?" Finnick asked as soon as Cato was out of earshot.

"Ssshhh... I was a little out of it earlier during chemistry and I had to tell him something but I can't tell him the truth," Clove explained in a low voice watching Cato talk to Marvel from their usual table.

"Why the hell not? He'll surely help you," Annie asked disbelievingly.

"My point exactly," Clove told her.

"What?" Annie asked. "You need help my friend and you're hiding your problem from someone who will help you. There's something wrong about that statement."

"Ann, I'm not about to accept cash from Cato Evans," Clove said.

"I don't know Clo. Deadline for paying is on Friday and you only have less than three days to get the money," Finnick said before digging in to his lunch.

"No. There has to be another way. I still have three days," Clove said more to convince herself than her friends. She turned to Katniss.

To her dismay, her cousin was looking at her with a crumpled grin that says 'I think they got a point.'

"Please don't tell me that you're with them," Clove told her.

Katniss bit her lip and let go of her spoon. "You know you need to be on this trip. Just this once can you let other people carry some of your load?"

"Are you saying that this is about pride? Because frankly—I"

Finnick decided to cut in after seeing Clove starting to flare up. "Hey. You need the money this Friday and we understand that you are not willing to accept help especially from Evans but think of it Clo. Maybe you can borrow the money and then pay him back later."

Clove paused and Katniss and Annie were grateful for Finnick's suggestion. Thinking about it, borrowing money especially that amount might be embarrassing. She barely knew Cato and asking for financial help now would be very awkward but if she promised to pay the sum back as soon as possible, which she would, it might not be that bad. Clove sighed and watched Cato walking back to their table. If it hadn't been for this stupid and ridiculously expensive class trip, she wouldn't be in such a difficult situation. She really did hope that their balding and miserable social science teacher will get hit by lightning though really, it could be a loose wire or a short circuit...

"Ha! The fucker thinks he can borrow that large amount and I'll forget about it!" Cato said happily as he retook his seat. Katniss, Finnick and Annie were all looking at Clove meaningfully and shifting their gaze at Cato who was attacking his lunch. Clove widened her eyes at them while they casually throw their heads slightly at Cato's direction urgently.

"I'm really worried about Marvel's dad," Cato started while munching on his sandwich. "I mean, how can a kid whose father runs a chain of casinos at the strip in Las Vegas run out of cash and had to borrow some from his friends at regular, weekly intervals?"

Annie choked on her food and reached for her drink while Finnick tried to muffle his laughter.

"Unbelievable," Finnick commented seriously while Annie shot him a glare.

"I know right?" Cato said smiling and continued eating.

Clove felt someone kick her shin under the table and she bit her straw to prevent herself from vocalizing the pain. Looking around the table, Katniss got her attention by mouthing 'ask him now'. Clove looked away.

"Oh right," Cato said suddenly before turning to Clove. "Our chem. teacher forgot to tell you something in class earlier so she wanted me to tell you that she'd want to meet you on your free time."

"Sure. Did she say what it's about?" Clove asked while managing to keep a straight face as she felt Katniss's foot hit her shin for the second and third time consecutively.

"Not really. She just said she needs your help at something so you should go to the faculty room anytime today when you're free," Cato said shrugging.

Clove suddenly slammed her fist on the table at the fourth time. Cato looked at her weirdly, spoon filled with lunch hanging in mid-air. "Are you okay?"

Clove flashed him a pained smile. "Perfect." She quickly glared at Katniss and then repositioned her legs so that Katniss won't reach it anymore.

"Hey Cato," Annie said and gave Clove a few shifty looks.

"Yeah?" Cato said looking up from his tray.

Clove shook her head warningly behind Cato but Annie ignored her. "I think Clove has some—OW!"

This time, it was Annie's shin that was met by Clove's foot.

"Oh my God Annie! It's your ulcer again isn't it?" Clove asked dramatically.

"Ulcer?" Cato asked looking at Annie and then at Clove. Annie quickly glared at Clove.

"Yeah, she's been skipping some meals to focus on her photography career and her doctor said she has mild ulcer," Clove explained.

"Oohh. That's bad. No wonder you're so thin," Cato told Annie who gave him a forced smile.

"I think I'll see the teacher now. Will you come with me?" Clove suddenly asked Cato.

Cato stared for a moment and then grinned widely. "Sure," he said and abandoned his lunch when a sudden pain at his shin made him shout.

"Ow!"

"What is it?" Clove and Finnick asked.

"Ooops..." Katniss said.

"Why did you hit me?" Cato asked Katniss while massaging his leg.

"I didn't mean to! I was meaning to hit Clove's leg but yours was in the way," Katniss explained.

"Why would you hit Clove?"

"Because she's being stupid and too shy for her own good," Annie answered for her.

"What?" Cato asked confused. What the hell is going on?

"Come on. Let's go," Clove said and quickly led Cato away from them.

They walked in silence with Clove contemplating if she should tell Cato while Cato was contemplating what Clove was obviously hiding from him. Since chemistry, the other had been acting really weird and he knew full well that whatever it was, Katniss, Finnick and Annie already had been told. Meaning...

"Clove," Cato said grabbing the other's arm to stop her from walking. "There's something you're not telling me and I want to hear it right now."

Clove stared at him and then looked down. She sighed.

"Go on. You can tell me," Cato said.

Lying this time would never work besides, she couldn't think of a good one at the moment. Thanks to her friends, it seemed like she had no choice but to tell Cato the truth. She was hoping to keep it a secret from him a little longer, until maybe as a last resort but, oh well. Here goes nothing.

"Can I just tell you on Thursday?"

"Cloooooove!"

"Okay ,okay. It's the about the school trip. One of my teachers decided it's a good idea to use the trip instead of the long exam and papers and it's big problem for me because I can't afford it," Clove said in one breath. Cato raised an eyebrow.

"Why didn't you want to tell me?" Cato asked. "I thought we're trying to be friends? You know I will help you and... Wait... Fuck! That's it, isn't it? You don't want me to help you!" He felt hurt and confused. Why would Clove refuse help from him?

Clove was silent. She didn't know what to say. How can she explain how she felt without making it seem like she wouldn't want to be indebted to Cato when that's exactly how it was?

"You're not even going to deny it, are you?" Cato asked while Clove just looked at him.

"I see," Cato said. "So I'm still a jerk in your eyes who can't do anything good?"

"It's not that!"

"Of course it is! Damn Clo, I know I did a lot of stupid things but I thought you'll give me a chance. That's what you told me remember?"

"I do and I mean it. Don't turn this about you," Clove said.

Cato stepped back and took in a deep breath. He needed to calm down before he blew things out of proportion. Control. "Okay, I'm sorry. Just... explain to me, make me understand."

Clove was taken aback by Cato's self-control. She should try too. "Look, I grew up working for myself and I guess I'm not used to people giving me help. I wanted to solve this on my own. I didn't want to tell you because I know you'll help me, which is great but I can't... I shouldn't..."

"Why? Its just some cash," Cato said.

"You see? Maybe to you it's just some cash but to me, that money can take care of my school expenses for a month!"

"So?"

"WHAT SO? I just told you!"

Cato was too lazy and too not feeling up to fighting right now so instead of retorting, he grabbed Clove's arm again and dragged her to the faculty room and dragged her inside.

It was a room crammed with filing cabinets, boxes, papers, and crowded tables on every inch along the wall. Smaller rectangular tables with divisions and chairs were all over the space with their teachers writing and typing on them. Clove could see the accursed social science teacher near the corner reading something on his desk.

"Clove! I've been wanting to talk to you," their chemistry teacher said as she walked towards them.

"Here she is ma'am," Cato said and walked away, leaving Clove with the teacher.

Before Clove could ask where he's going, Mrs. Higgins had led her to her own paper crammed desk and made her sit on the chair in front of it. "Have a seat," she said unnecessarily and Clove complied.

"What is it that you want to talk to me ma'am?"

She removed her glasses from her face and then leaned on her table. "You are aware that Cato Evans is the son of the most wealthy man here in Chicago, right Clove?"

Clove frowned but nodded. "Yes."

She smiled. "Well it seems like you get along with Cato perfectly and I want to take that opportunity for him to learn more."

Clove nodded again. She could see where this was going but decided to wait for her to say it. "We are... err... friends I think."

She seemed excited. "Good. I have a favor to ask of you and I'm sure you'll find it a good idea."

"What is it?"

"Cato hadn't been attending most of his classes and he had been behind school work. He manages but in my class, I think he needs extra help. That's where you get in."

"You want me to help him with chemistry?" Clove asked.

"Tutor him actually. Give him tips and explain difficult concepts before the midterms," she said.

Clove didn't mind helping Cato in chemistry. She had been informally tutoring some classmates in her former high school so she was used to it. "Okay."

She smiled at her. "Thank you. And you must understand that this is a personal favor. If you do this, you'll be doing it out of the desire to help because the best thing I could give you in return is a free lunch at my granddaughter's house on a Sunday."

Clove laughed. "It's okay Mrs. Higgins. I'll tutor Cato."

"You're such a good girl," she said fondly. "Would you need me to set up study dates for you?"

Clove flinched at the word 'dates'. "No, I'll talk to Cato so we could work a schedule."

"Okay," she said.

Clove nodded politely before standing up and walking to the door. She waved at her before she opened it and went outside to the equally chaotic corridor.

"What did she say?"

Clove jumped at Cato's sudden question. He was leaning against the wall with his arms folded in front of his chest waiting for Clove. She glared at him.

"Do you enjoy seeing me scared?" Clove asked and started walking. Cato followed.

"Would it sound creepy if I tell you that yes, I do enjoy it a little?" Cato asked.

Clove stared at him. "Yes."

"Then no, I absolutely don't enjoy seeing you scared."

They walked. There was only two minutes remaining before lunch was over and Clove had free period next. She was walking towards the library like she usually did while Cato simply followed.

"Can you give the list of days and times you're free? Mrs. Higgins asked me to tutor you in chemistry," Clove said.

Bingo. He already had a plan but good old Mrs. Higgins just made it better. Cato smiled. "Great! I'm free whenever so you can tutor me anytime of the day, any day of the week. At my place of course."

Clove huffed. "Your place? Can't we just meet up in the library or—"

"No. I'll get you from Katniss's house and then give you a ride back. We could start tonight if you're free. Midterms are coming by really fast," Cato suggested innocently.

"Why does it have to be in your house?" Clove asked annoyed.

Cato smirked. "Because, I have things for you to do aside from tutoring me."

They reached the stairs and Clove started climbing while shaking her head lightly. Cato's class was starting in less than a minute in a classroom two floors down but he climbed up too. He was a guy who knew his priorities.

"What makes you even think that I'll do things for you aside from tutoring?"

Ahhh... she finally asked the magic question. "Because after I left you with Higgins, I went to the school trip committee head and paid for your fees. And mine," he answered as they reached the library door.

"What?"

"You owe me and even if you are free to not return a cent of it, I assume you would still insist on paying?" Cato asked as he opened the door and walked in. Clove followed him.

"How could you? I never asked you to do this!" Clove muttered lowly while following Cato and keeping an eye out for the librarian.

"It's done. You can't do anything about it anymore. So will you pay me?"

Clove rolled her eyes. "Of course I will! You know I would!"

Cato laughed. "Yes. You don't want me to help you because you don't want to be indebted to me. Well guess what Clo, you are now indebted to me!"

A loud knocking sound was heard and pain shot through the back of Cato's head. He let out a short cry of pain and then glared at Clove who was glaring back. "That hurts."

"Good. You deserve it," Clove said and walked past him towards her favorite shelves.

"Would you rather fail a subject than to owe me money?" Cato asked tailing her.

"Yes," Clove lied.

"You're lying."

"And you're conniving."

Cato laughed. "How bad could it be? I'm a very humane and understanding boss. I'll even give you breaks."

"Screw you."

"Watch your language Ms. Van Roberts!" the librarian said as they passed by him while he returned some books on his shelf.

"Sorry," Clove said pausing and bowing to him before continuing to walk.

Cato kept on trailing behind Clove who was walking straight to the farthest shelves at the back. He had expected this reaction from her but the challenge of convincing Clove that this wasn't so bad remained. He broke into a run to catch up to her and grab her arm.

"What?" Clove asked loudly as she stopped in her tracks.

"Don't be so mad. I'm just trying to help you," Cato said. "As I've said, it's okay if you don't want to pay me."

"And I said I'll pay."

"You can work it off. I told you I got things for you to do."

Clove gave him a look and Cato understood.

"No funny business," he added.

The last time Clove went to Cato's house left some memories that made her hesitate to visit again. First, she was tied up, then forcefully taken they ended up making out which in turn caused a lot of confusion in Clove's mind. How can she go back to that place?

"What exactly are these things that had to be done by me specifically?" Clove asked

"Umm... just some random stuff like fixing my hard drive and helping me organize some stuff," Cato said quickly.

"I don't fix hard drives. You should get a computer technician for that," Clove told him.

"It's really simple so I think you can do it. I'll have you look at it anyway so you'll see. And I need help with Algebra and other subjects as well," Cato added.

Clove sighed. She had to admit that it didn't sound bad. Truthfully, working off this debt was her best option since all the money she had been earning in her sidelines were either going to her college fund or being added to Frank's money for her high school tuition. Having another thing to pay for will be another great load for her. "Okay, but I'm only going to do school-related things. I need to know what the chores are and for how long I can work my debt off."

Jackpot! Cato was mentally doing his victory dance but he managed to keep his face straight. "I need time to think of the terms of your work. I'll give it tomorrow."

Clove nodded in agreement. "Since you're taking time, why don't you make a contract?"

Cato's eyes widened. "A contract? Isn't that a little extreme?"

Clove thought for a moment and leaned her back on the shelf. "Not at all. I am basically being employed by you so I need a formal contract. All employees have it so that they can sue the employer should any of the terms be violated."

Count on Clove to make things as complex and as by-the-book as possible. "Okay. If that will make you feel comfortable then I have no problems with it."

"Good," Clove said.

"Great," Cato added.

"We'll have a contract signing by tomorrow."

* * *

**So I'm really sorry for not updating this fic as fast as I usually do. That explains the long chapter. I don't want to leave you all hanging, so I wrote a long one. Things got in the way, so I had a hard time on writing it. :) So uuhhhmm... How do you like it? Is it good or bad? Lol. Tell me guys!**


	24. Chapter Twenty Three

"I have it," Cato said as soon as Clove stepped in the chemistry classroom. "A draft of your contract while you work off your debt."

Clove nodded and reached for the piece paper in Cato's hand who moved it out of the way from Clove's reach. "Uh-uh... step into my office first," he told Clove while waving a finger at her like she was a kid.

Clove rolled her eyes before taking her seat beside Cato. The other smiled widely before handing the paper over. "I've put in all the things an employee could ever want, except in your case, health insurance and Christmas bonuses are out of the question."

Knowing Cato, Clove was quite sure that he would put together a crazy, nonsensical worker's contract but reading this, she had to admit it was quite professional looking and properly done... except for a few items...

"I patterned this contract to the one we give our employees at the casino. It's good huh?" Cato said proudly. "I've made some minor adjustments but it should be fine with your working description."

"Why don't I get a sick leave?" Clove asked as she continued scrutinizing the contract word for word.

Cato laughed. "I divided the amount of your debt by the wage our regular employees get per day, hence the number of days you'll be working for me. I doubt you'll need a sick leave in six days."

"You'll never know. I might get swine flu or AIDS or whatever," Clove said shaking her head at the paper.

Cato was itching to say that he had no AIDS so it will be impossible for Clove to get it but he bit his tongue to stop himself. Don't scare her, Cato. He told himself.

"A sick leave is mandated by our country's labor code," Clove argued with a monotonous voice, her eyes still not leaving the contract.

"That is where you're wrong, baby," Cato said smugly.

Clove lifted her gaze from the contract to glare at him. "Don't call me baby."

"The Fair Labor Standards Act of the Labor Code does indeed mandate sick and family leave for all private and public employers but, for an employer to give his employee this benefit, the employer must have fifty or more employees each working day during at least 20 calendar weeks in the current or preceding calendar year," Cato explained. He sighed dramatically. "Which I don't have since I'm only employing you, baby."

Clove huffed deciding not to voice out her amazement at the other's apparent research on the subject. "You have at least sixty people working in your house. That's ten people more than what is required by the law. And don't call me freaking _baby_."

Cato laughed at Clove's monotonous tone and her 'freaking baby' comment. How can someone say it so calmly? "Well sorry to burst your bubble, babe but those people are employed by my father and not me."

Clove was about to retort when their ever late chemistry teacher entered the lab carrying a folder. She smiled at the class and winked in Clove's direction when she saw her talking to Cato. Clove nodded stiffly at her.

"Since the midterms are coming up, I want you all to take this opportunity to do some practice exercises on word problems regarding stoichiometry. I've checked your quizzes last night and I think you could all use a little help. I've prepared a few sample questions and you are to answer and hand them in by the end of the period. I'll be back in an hour to answer questions after you've tried answering the problems by yourselves though you can also ask your friends for help," she said and started giving out her practice questions.

"She shouldn't count on the class studying while she's out," Cato told Clove in a low voice.

"You are also free to refer back to your notes and the periodic table of elements, just don't copy off each other's paper," she added just as when Gabe was straining his neck to see his seatmate's paper.

Clove winced as Mrs. Higgins neared their table. She was smiling at them when she gave them their papers and said in low voice, "You are free to ask Clove anything about the practice questions, Cato."

Cato returned her smile. "Oh I will Mrs. Higgins. Thanks."

She nodded at them fondly before walking away and back to the front of the class. "I'll be at the faculty room attending to something but I will be checking on you at random intervals so don't you dare leave this laboratory," she said before walking towards the door and disappearing behind it.

As soon as the door was closed again, the class started chatting and walking towards their friends, leaving the practice questions on their tables already forgotten.

"See?" Cato said motioning at the class.

"Fine. I don't get a sick leave but why do I have to 'comply when summoned by the employer regardless of the time and place'? That's pure abuse," Clove said pointing at the contract accusingly.

"Well, the nature of your job is really unique since I'm just going to make you do things I can think of. What if I accidentally set my dog free in the middle of the night? I'll have to call you so that you can chase after my dog," Cato explained.

Clove stared at him disbelievingly. "Chase your dog in the middle of the night?"

Cato shrugged. "I can't make Harry do it. He'll shoot me."

"I can do worse," Clove told him.

"I doubt that."

"Do you even have a dog?"

"No," Cato replied smiling.

Clove massaged her temple. "You are freaking unbelievable."

"I know but, I'm planning to get one so that I can set him free, accidentally, in the middle of the night and I could call you."

Clove stared at him seriously. "Cato Evans, I'm not going to get out of bed at such inhumane hours to chase your freaking dog."

"Fine," Cato said dismissively. "How about a cat?"

"Cato!"

"Or a horse?"

"CATO!"

"Fine, fine," Cato said. He had to make a way to get Clove to agree at that term of the contract.

"This item is obviously out of the question," Clove said and then went on reading the rest of the contract.

"But that's my favorite term," Cato said pouting his lips.

"It's going," Clove announced.

"No!" Cato said stubbornly and then snatched the paper from Clove.

"Don't be a kid. Give it back," Clove said giving the paper a snatch only to miss when Cato moved it behind him.

"If I give it back, you're going to sign it immediately," he said.

"That item in the contract violates the agreed number of hours per day of work I'll do and is unfair, and vague, and stupid. I will not sign your freaking contract if you insist on keeping it!"

"How about we put a special provision?" Cato proposed.

"I'm listening," Clove said.

"Together, we can revise the contract to both our standards and compromise at what we want. Like for the item you so want to erase, we'll set up time margin in which I cannot summon you, say eight in the evening. Then, for me to make an eligible work call to you that you have to comply to, it had to meet certain conditions that we can both settle," Cato explained.

A sigh escaped from Clove's mouth. She rubbed her chin thoughtfully, thinking about Cato's suggestion. She liked that the other was giving her a chance to alter the contract to meet her needs but as much as she was careful, Clove wasn't very familiar with the laws and making labor contracts which obviously, Cato had learned when he was six. How can such a laid-back, spoiled rich kid know so much about these things? Clove was very surprised when Cato quoted to her a section of the Labor Code earlier. This area, whatever it was, was definitely Cato's expertise. Clove had to be extra careful if she wanted to make this contract fair.

"Let's rewrite the contract later after school," Cato said.

"Can't. I have work," Clove told him.

"Then I'll go with you and wait. We'll do it after your shift," Cato pushed.

"Whatever," Clove said and picked the paper containing the practice questions up. She doubted that Cato could last a minute in that place without going crazy with the silence and the books.

"Cool," Cato said as he picked his up. "And I need help with this too," he added pointing at the paper.

Clove breathed deeply and nodded while Cato scooted his seat closer to Clove's. "You know the labor code but you can't answer chemistry problems."

Cato shrugged. "What can I say? I'm a very unique guy."

"Yes, you are," Clove muttered while reading the first question. "But when we get there, just behave while I work and don't touch anything."

Cato smirked at her. "Okay, baby. Whatever you say."

...

When Cato and Clove entered the shop, Gale was alone behind the counter reading a textbook. It was the first time Clove ever saw Gale actually study because the other seemed to have done nothing but work. He looked up at the sound of the store bells and then smiled as Clove walked in. He also gave Cato a nod when he saw him trailing behind Clove.

"I don't know how you did it but congratulations anyway. I'm really happy for you," Gale told Cato when he and Clove reached the counter.

Cato stared at him weirdly while Clove frowned. "Okay, I'm going to the stockroom to get more CDs," Clove announced before walking away leaving Cato.

"She's just shy, but seriously man I'm happy for you," Gale told him.

"What the hell are you talking about dude?" Cato asked smiling. Something was telling him he was going to like what Gale will say.

"You know what? It's about time for CloClo to get her emotional issues resolved anyway," Gale said elbowing Cato's arm suggestively.

Cato laughed at finally getting what the other meant. "I thought you were weird before but now I think you're a freaking genius."

"Yeah, I get that a lot," Gale said shrugging. "I volunteered to be her fuck buddy once but she won't say yes. You have her dude."

"O-kay. Let's clear things up," Cato said suddenly alarmed. "Clove Van Roberts is mine. She is mine. Don't give her any of your stupid and perverted fuck buddy ideas or I'll kill you," he said seriously.

"I knew you'd be territorial," Gale said. "Don't worry. I only meant it as a joke. She can be really serious at times, so I told her that, you know to crack her up. You two are together now so just continue living in your small lovey-dovey world with Clove," he added.

Cato's face suddenly fell. He decided to stare at the counter, slumping against it while Gale watched him confused.

"What?" he asked.

"Me and Clove, we're not exactly... a 'we'," Cato admitted.

Gale's jaw dropped. "What the hell... You still haven't got Van Roberts? Dude, you came in here just minutes ago and anyone who has an ounce of IQ and didn't grow up in a convent could tell that you and Clove are a pair. What's going on?"

Cato's insides sank at Gale's words. Even this guy said that Clove and him are made for each other! If only he didn't fuck things up in the beginning he could be living in that small lovey-dovey world Gale was talking about. He shrugged at Gale and then rubbed his forehead. "It's complicated."

"Oh, I can tell alright," Gale said.

"But you better hurry up my friend. Clove is a hot one. She had been attracting small group of guys here every night during her shift doing their little acts to get her attention," Gale said.

"I know! I'm working on it but I fucked things up before and I don't want to make the same mistake twice. I may scare her away and she'll never come back," Cato said alarmed and scared at Gale's report. People had been trying to steal Clove. His Clove!

"Okay, but just keep that in mind. I'm on your side because I think it's you that Clove wants."

Cato stared at Gale who just nodded at him seriously. He nodded in return determinedly. "Good. We are now in an alliance."

"Whatever he's telling you, don't believe a word of it," Clove said as she reappeared from the door behind the counter carrying a medium-size carton box in her arms.

"I'm offended. I only have your best interest at heart and you think I'm speaking ill of you behind your back," Gale said smiling and winked at Cato.

Cato watched as Clove proceeded to the shelf and started putting on display the contents of the box. How can someone simply arrange CDs on a shelf and still manage to look so damn good? Clove's hair would always slightly fall over her face when she stoop down to get the CD's and then she would irritatingly brush it back with her hands with one motion, completely unaware of how freaking adorable she looked. She took her time making sure the CDs are aligned and then stepped back to observe her work biting her lower lip a little. Satisfied, she picked up the empty box again and walked back to the counter.

"I got a feeling you told Cato something really bothering. Look at him, he seems bothered," Clove said pointing at Cato.

"Oh look at the time! Is that the time? Psh! Time really does fly when you're having fun, doesn't it?" Gale said pointing at the old grandfather clock of the store. "I need to get going."

Clove shook her head smiling. "You did tell him something."

"Not a chance, Clo," Gale said as he stuffed his textbook in his bag and closed it. He turned to Cato. "I leave you my precious and innocent little apprentice. Don't you dare give her weird ideas like making out among the shelves, alright?" he said winking at Cato as he walked to the door. Cato laughed.

"Shut up," Clove said sharply before they heard the store bell again.

"I like the way he thinks," Cato said seriously.

"I bet you do," Clove muttered before slipping her nametag on.

"Oohh... Are you flirting with me Van Roberts?" Cato asked giving Clove a sly smirk. "Cause this shop looks very deserted. Maybe we can make use of the opportunity?"

Clove rolled her eyes and straightened her shirt. "I told you to behave, didn't I?"

"Whatever are you thinking Van Roberts? I'm simply asking if we can start the contract revision now," Cato told her. "Or do you want to do something else?"

She took her place behind the register before answering the question. "No, we can't do anything. I told you you'll have to wait. I'm working right now."

Cato walked towards the counter and slipped behind it beside Clove. He sat and then smiled at Clove. "No you're not."

Technically, Clove really was working as she was literally watching the register and her shift had already started. But she had done other things in the past while on shift like doing some homework, studying and reading novels. She was a really dedicated worker but knew well that she could do other things too.

"Yes I am."

"This place is boring," Cato commented.

"Then go home," Clove told him nonchalantly.

"Nice try," Cato told her and brought out the contract from his bag.

The sound of Cato's papers in his bag was the only thing they could hear. The notebooks hitting the wooden counter and the Cato's breathing wasn't exactly loud but Clove felt like she was drowning in them.

"Your contract looks okay for the most part. I just have some issues with some specific items," she told Cato.

The other nodded and handed her the contract and a red crayon. "Mark the items you have problems with and then we'll work something out."

Clove stared at the crayon but decided to accept it anyway, smiling a little. She then began marking the items she remembered to be unacceptable while Cato watched. She was becoming used to the constant staring Cato did whenever they were together so she ignored him.

"Gale said he offered to be your fuck buddy but you declined," Cato blurted out and Clove almost fell off her stool.

"He told you that?" Clove asked and Cato nodded. "I told you not to believe a word of what he was saying."

How can Gale say that to Cato? It was embarrassing to say the least and it wouldn't help her and Cato's attempt at being friends. She had to remember to give Gale hell as soon as possible.

"So he's lying then?" Cato asked amused, putting his elbow against the counter and resting his chin on his palm.

"He's..." Clove started.

"You spend more time with me than with Gale. I'd make a better fuck buddy," he said.

"Shut up." Clove's cheeks were burning and she glared at Cato. Cato ignored her and decided to go on, highly entertained at Clove's reaction.

"You know, if you sign the contract tonight, you'll officially be my employee starting tomorrow until the third day of the school trip," he told Clove.

"Katniss said you and your friends never join the school trip," Clove said.

"That's right but I decided I should join this year since you're going to be there too. We can share bunks," Cato said while Clove determinedly kept her eyes on the contract holding the crayon tightly.

The paper was then suddenly tossed back at him hastily. Cato barely caught it while Clove announced, "There, I'm done."

"Do you mind sitting here for a while? I'm just going to check uh, the new arrivals in the stock room," Clove announced before standing and swiftly making her way to the backdoor without waiting for Cato's reply.

...

The time for the music store to close came and Cato shooed some guys who's asking for Clove to the exit. Clove started to do her routine checks and deposit the sales in the stockroom safe thinking about the things that had happened and what those things would mean for her in the following days. She was going to join the school trip and she didn't pay a cent for it but she will be working for Cato. She was wondering what she should make out of that situation but it was too complicated and too fast for her to process. What's clear was that these things and a lot more would come because she had accepted to be friends with New Trier's brat king.

"Anything else I can help you with?" Cato asked as he walked back to the counter.

"No. I'm almost done," Clove answered as she made her last rounds behind the cash register.

Cato watched contentedly while the other busied herself locking things up and putting stuff away. For some reason, Cato knew this kind of thing should be boring as hell to watch but he found himself hypnotized by every little thing Clove did. He wanted to record every moment of it, watch it at home, and then spend all his remaining time with her. It scared him a little that these kind of things enter his mind, things that just a few weeks ago, he would have puked hearing or dismissed as stupid.

"I think that's about it," Clove announced suddenly, looking at him while slightly wiping her forehead with the back of her hand.

He nodded. "Okay."

Outside, the air was cold. Clove locked the shop door and Cato watched standing close by. He remembered driving by this place the first time with Clove and then that other time to get her for a ride to the peninsula. It all seemed so long ago yet still oh so fresh.

"Do you want me to drive you home?" Cato asked.

"No. Kat lended me her bike for tonight," Clove answered pointing to the bike strapped under the big tree.

Cato nodded understandingly. "Alright. If that's what you want."

"Yeah," Clove said.

They stood there awkwardly for a few minutes and then Clove started walking to the tree. Cato nodded to himself and then reluctantly walked towards his car, glancing back occasionally at the other.

"See you tomorrow," Clove said as she mounted her cousin's bike and then pedaled off to the dark road.

Cato watched Clove's figure grow smaller and smaller as she went farther away. "See you."

He definitely had to get that bike out of the way, along with many other things. This will be the most genius contract man would ever make and it would be so amazing because it will lead Clove to him. He smiled.

"Just wait and see."

* * *

**So...this is a short one, but at least I managed to update it. Haha. Do you like it? Yes? No? Tell me what you think guys! I'm writing the next chapter now, and I hope you all still read this fic. Things are gonna get interesting, I'm telling ya. Haha. Reviews are highly appreciated. :"**


	25. Chapter Twenty Four

"What's Black Hills like?"

Katniss shrugged before looking up from her laptop where she had been busy typing her paper, doing some research and downloading music. "I don't know. Like a hill I guess," she answered uncertainly.

Clove nodded her face unreadable as usual. She paused, thinking about whether to ask Katniss more questions before deciding that she'll do it later and go back to her own homework instead. Katniss sensed it.

"I've never been to that place before but I can do a quick search on the net," she told Clove.

Clove smiled before walking over behind Katniss to look at the computer screen. Katniss clicked the pictures and sites that had descriptions of Black Hills to let Clove look and read through them.

"You seem like you're looking forward to the school trip," she commented as Clove continued to go through the pictures.

Clove smiled shyly. "Yeah. I know it's kind of stupid to feel all excited about a field trip but it's been a while since I went on a trip," she said rubbing the back of her neck.

The last time Clove went on a trip, she was in preschool and it was in a zoo. Clove couldn't remember much of it except that she saw lots of cages and for reasons she couldn't remember, she was sure she felt really happy. Those were the times that Clove's parents were still alive and as much as Clove hated herself for being so young and forgetting everything, the feeling of unexplainable happiness remained with her through the years and gave her a faint idea of how it must have been living with her parents now.

Since the incident, Clove never got the enthusiasm for going out anymore so she convinced Aunt Marie to let her not join the school trips. She was worried Clove was withdrawing herself from the world but she told her not to worry. She'd have to use the money in more important things anyway.

"Don't be ridiculous. That's perfectly okay," Katniss said. "I feel a little excited myself."

Clove closed the windows about Black Hills and went back to Katniss's study table where she left her unfinished homework so that her cousin can go back to her own homework. "Would be greater if I were going there without having to be Cato's PA."

Katniss raised an eyebrow. "You're working for him during the school trip? That's..."

Clove sighed. "Exactly. I received the final draft of my working contract earlier and I'm signing it tomorrow morning, then I'll officially start work. Six days and my debt will be paid. Sadly though, the school trip days will be included in it."

Katniss blinked. She didn't know how to react at knowing that her cousin actually agreed to be some sort of worker for Cato and if actually having a contract for it was a good thing. She decided it was a good thing since she was betting it was Clove who wanted the contract. That's all she needed to know. For now.

"Can't you ask him if you can sign the contract after the school trip so you can enjoy it as a free woman?" Katniss asked putting the laptop aside. She'll ask about what work Clove will do later.

"I've thought of doing that but Cato has made it clear in the contract that he wants me working immediately," Clove answered.

"But that's unfair," Katniss protested. "You should have a say when you want to work."

"That's right and the contract said I can choose to postpone the start of my 'employment' but for everyday that I choose to delay it, twelve additional hours will be added to the six days," Clove explained indifferently. "And in case you're wondering what he'll have me do, it was stated in the contract that it will be ranging from clerical, to educational, to accompaniment, and others that will not involve life threatening situations or degradation of human dignity."

Okay, that sounded safe, Katniss thought. But considering that this was Cato they were talking about, one can never be sure. "Sounds like Evans will take this opportunity to take advantage of the situation, A.K.A. 'you'. I feel bad about this," Katniss said seriously. "I don't think you should sign it."

Clove laughed a little. "The moment I found out Cato paid for my school trip, I knew he had been thinking about something like this happening. He knew I wouldn't let him pay for my trip with just a 'thank you' and he was right. I told him I'll work for him and honestly, I don't mind if I start today or tomorrow or during the school trip. The sooner I start it, the faster this will be over."

Katniss scratched the back of her head. "If you knew Cato was planning something, why didn't you do anything to avoid it? Why agree to a contract even?"

Clove shrugged. "I see no reason why I shouldn't work my debt off. However way I look at it, I think I'll get more from the deal than Cato ever will. I have no way to repay him too so really, it's my only option. And the contract was my idea. It may seem scary to sign a contract but if you think about it, the contract can also protect the employee as long as it is worded fair and clear. I reread Cato's contract at least four times and I don't think he'll be able to pull anything funny with it."

Katniss still looked unconvinced. "I don't know Clo. It's Cato we are talking about. He has a thing for you and he has a reputation for getting what he wants."

She nodded understandingly. Despite thinking through the situation a dozen times and convincing herself that it was a good idea, Clove arrived at the same conclusion as Katniss. She read the contract and it was obvious that Cato knew a lot about workers' contracts than her which put Clove in a risky position. There were items that Clove couldn't decide if she should worry about or not but for the most part, Clove thought it would do. But no matter how many times the contract was read and revised, it all boiled down to one thing only. That was whether to trust Cato or not and as logical and rational as Clove was, she found herself trusting Cato. She'd have to kick herself in the head if this decision brought her to a situation she'll regret.

"I know," she told her cousin. "But what else can he do? Push me off a cliff? There's nothing Cato could think of that could be worse than what he already done to me."

Katniss frowned. "Just be careful."

...

Cato could barely contain the happiness when Clove returned the final draft that night with a PS saying she'd sign it tomorrow. Imaginary confetti was everywhere in his mind with his victory song playing in the background because what could be better? Seriously, it was like Clove had agreed to marry him or something.

It was already five in the morning and Cato spent all night listing down possible things to make Clove do starting tomorrow. He smiled goofily at the paper as he wrote down 'help me find a present for Peeta', imagining the many possible ways he could make it look like an innocent gift-hunt and then drag Clove to the movie house or better yet, his home theater downstairs. This along with the sixty-seven other things he had thought of were more or less designed to make Clove spend more time with him but Cato made sure that he abided by the damn contract.

Cato bit the tip of his pen while thinking of other things to add to his list. He shrugged before scribbling down 'help me find a present for Marvel'. Marvel's birthday wasn't for another two months but hey, Peeta's was a month ago.

"Cato?" a voice called from the other side of his bedroom door followed by a knocking sound.

Cato smiled before getting up from his bed and opening the door. Harry's tired face came into view, his eye bags angrily bulging from lack of sleep.

"I got you the dog," Harry announced.

"Good. Put it in the basement or wherever," Cato said.

"Okay. Anything else?" Harry asked wondering how in the world this kid can stay up all night and still manage to smile. What was he doing in his room and what was he up to?

Cato rubbed his chin. "Do you still have that flash drive with a gazillion viruses in it?"

"I think so, why?" he asked confused.

Cato smiled. "Bring it to me."

"In case the lack of sleep has gotten to you, I would just like to remind you that the viruses will destroy your computer," Harry said.

He laughed. "Exactly! It will ruin my hard drive and it will need reformatting and those kinds of shit the programmer does for me!"

"Should I call him?" Harry asked completely lost.

Cato placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Just do as I say my friend. I already got a person to fix everything."

Oh this will be fun.

...

It was things like this that had to be videotaped.

Cato watched each movement Clove did as her hand carefully scribbled a barely readable signature on the contract he printed last night. Barely two seconds and the contract was sealed. He extended his arm to Clove.

"You are now my slave," he said as he shook Clove's hand.

"Employee," Clove corrected him.

"Whatever. Call it what you want but they all mean the same thing."

It was still early and the school corridors were wide and clear save for Clove, Cato, Katniss, and a few other people who had nothing else better to do than to go to school early.

"As a symbol of your employment I will require you to wear this," Cato said as he extracted from his pocket a red, flat rubber bracelet with four pieces of black and white cubic beads with letters on them spelling 'CATO' in bold letters. Clove looked at it with wide eyes before she gave the other a disbelieving look.

"This isn't a part of the contract," she told Cato.

"I know but this is something I want you to do. You have to wear it," Cato insisted and grabbed Clove's wrist to put the bracelet on.

"This is embarrassing! I will not wear that," Clove argued as she pulled her arm. Katniss just watched, looking amused.

Clove fought but Cato still managed to put the bracelet on. "There, and don't you dare take that off," Cato said. "Consider it your uniform or something," he added quickly, looking at the floor and restraining a smile. Clove was wearing a bracelet with his name on it!

"I don't believe this," Clove said looking at the bracelet like it was going to explode anytime.

"Just wear it," Cato snapped. "Now my slave, I allow you to spend the first two periods freely as you are not in the same class as me but your work will resume at chemistry where you will help me with...err... everything."

Clove rolled her eyes. "I always help you in chemistry with everything."

"Even so," Cato said shrugging. "Now that I left you with directives, I must now go to my first class and expect a happy worker by third period."

Clove and Katniss watched with mixed amusement and confusion as Cato walked down the hallway with his hands in his pocket and skipping merrily every after three steps while the other students turn their heads to his direction.

"He seems happy," Katniss said.

"He is," Clove agreed.

"Before, I was really worried but now that I saw him, I think he's quite harmless. He seems so in love with you it was too cute," Katniss said laughing lightly.

"Shut up," Clove snapped.

"Was that Cato Evans bouncing off to somewhere or was it just my head? " Annie asked as she walked towards Katniss and Clove.

"It was Cato," Katniss answered.

...

"Welcome back my slave," Cato greeted as Clove took her seat beside him.

All morning, Clove was careful not to show anyone her bracelet by putting her hand in the front pocket of the hoodie which she fortunately chose to wear instead of her pocket-less shirt that morning. She had tried to get the bracelet off during the first period but she failed. Apparently, Cato had had this bracelet custom-made because no one from Katniss, Finnick, or Annie had ever seen anything like it let alone open it. Clove sighed deeply.

"Don't call me that," she told Cato seriously who just grinned at her.

"It's either that or baby which I know you hate," he said and then glanced at Clove's wrist which was hidden inside the hoodie. "Are you hiding the bracelet?"

"No, I'm warming it," Clove answered. "Why can't I get it off?"

Cato laughed triumphantly. "Because there's a certain way to open it. I'll teach you on the night of your last day as my sla—employee."

Clove huffed and gave him a tired look. "Whatever."

The class was a mess as usual, with everyone having their own little worlds in their small groups. She caught a glimpse of Marvel who was sleeping like a freaking bat.

"Looks like Marvel does have moments of rare silence," Clove said.

Cato followed the direction she was looking and then nodded. "He won't tell me what kept him up all night but don't mind him. We have a more important matter to discuss."

"Yeah? What?"

"My chemistry lessons. You're supposed to give me some, remember?" Cato asked.

"Oh right," Clove said thinking. "How about... Saturdays and Fridays?"

"You are doing this outside the contract. Ms. Higgins asked you to do this so it doesn't count as 'work' and you'll still do it even after six days," Cato told her.

"I know. I still have another two to three weeks to teach you before the exams. Maybe we can start after the class trip," Clove suggested.

"At my place," Cato added.

Clove rolled her eyes. "Here we go again."

"As your boss, I order you to teach me chemistry at my place," Cato said in a singsong voice.

"Psshhhh..." Clove hissed.

"Starting tonight," Cato added.

"I have work tonight!"

"I'll wait. Then we'll go at my place so you can teach me," Cato explained. "We'll finish early and then I'll give you a ride home. Katniss's parents won't have to worry about anything because we'll tell them about what Ms. Higgins asked you to do and that I will be giving you a ride home."

Clove breathed deeply. Her patience was running out fast. "What are the chances that if I say 'no', you'll order me into agreeing anyway so that you can have what you want?"

"Do you want me to answer that? It seems like a rhetorical question."

A sharp pain at Cato's shin made him wince. He glared at Clove who unflinchingly glared back. He smirked. "Whatever. To answer your question anyway, I order you to teach me chemistry later after your shift at my house. Your work hours end at ten according to the contract right? We'll be done before then so I won't be violating your rights."

Clove racked her brains for something to retort to this. Why oh why did she agree to this? She did see this coming and yet she chose to be stupid and idiotic... Why? She could think of no answer to her question or to Cato's. She breathed deeply and yes, now she knew. The thought that would sustain her through this ordeal would be the contract's duration. Just six days of suffering and it will all be over. Every passing day would be a countdown to freedom. Six days? She'll live.

"I still haven't heard you say 'yes' Clove," Cato said snapping his fingers in front of her face rudely.

"Yeah, whatever." Maybe she won't.

...

After explaining to Katniss about her task after her shift and her cousin's numerous attempts to dissuade her (and Annie and Finnick restraining her to prevent her from physically forcing her cousin to go straight home), Clove left the school with Cato for the music store.

Gale burst singing the chorus of Love fool as soon as Clove and Cato entered making Clove glare at him while Cato just laughed. He kept on making side comments and mumbling things to Cato whenever Clove was out of earshot which earned them eye-rolls and nasty looks from the other. It went on for a several minutes until Gale realized he was late for his night class and dashed out of the door shouting, "Don't give up! Hard work always pays off!"

The guys from the previous night did not come tonight which meant Clove had to endure it while Cato babbled on about stories and other stuff she had given up listening to after the first fifteen minutes.

"You talk a lot," Clove told him one time, wishing that a costumer would come in so that she'll have something else to do other than listen to Cato.

Cato who was in the middle of telling Clove about his last ski trip paused and sneered. "And you don't talk at all. No wonder nobody at school finds you... sociable."

"I don't care much what other people think of me," Clove said offhandedly as she rested herchin against her palm on the counter and staring at the shop's door.

"I already know that," Cato said.

"Time is being wasted. Let's start chemistry here," Clove told him.

Cato raised an eyebrow. "You are working, Van Roberts. You cannot tutor someone while you're on your shift."

Clove massaged her temple. "There are no costumers. I want to get this done already because in case you've forgotten, tomorrow will be the school trip and call time is an hour earlier than our first period."

"Oh yeah," Cato said genuinely just having recalled about tomorrow. Bummer. Now he can't trap Clove in his basement like he was planning to do. "Then we can make later's session shorter. Half an hour."

"That would make the whole thing useless. I can't teach you anything within thirty minutes," Clove said. "Not much."

"That's okay. I have to learn something before this trip or else my mind would be on vacation mode before I even memorize anything," Cato said.

And so they did go to Cato's house. Clove couldn't help but remember bits of flashbacks of her last visit here making her feel suddenly awkward. They entered the house with the familiar troupe of Cato's servants greeting both of them politely. Cato's house still manage to impress her even though it was her second time to be here already.

"Come on Van Roberts," Cato called her from the stairs where Clove not so long ago collapsed on from exhaustion.

"What?" Clove asked from the living room. She was already thinking of settling on the couch. "Go ahead and change. I'll wait for you here."

"We're not studying there," Cato said as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "We'll study in my room."

Clove stared at him but said nothing. Cato understood.

"My computer's upstairs. We're just studying so don't worry. You'll be on your way before nine," Cato said smiling before resuming his climb.

Reluctantly, Clove followed Cato up the glass stairs. She had almost forgotten how beautiful this house was but seeing it again made Clove thought that it was even more beautiful than she remembered it. She wondered how it must be like to have everything and so much more. Cato had everything. Clove couldn't think of anything that could possibly worry him. It must be great.

"Put your bag anywhere. I'll just change my shirt or something," Cato said motioning towards the general direction of his bed as they entered the bedroom.

"Okay," Clove said while Cato continued walking towards a door at the far corner of the vast room which Clove assumed to be a bathroom or a walk-in closet.

The door shut and Cato disappeared behind it leaving Clove to observe his bedroom. She felt a little weird at how casual Cato was acting. This was exactly how Clove would be treated if she were at Annie's or Finnick's. They did agree to be friends but somehow, she can't help but feel awkward and tensed.

"Stop being stupid," Clove told herself out loud. She walked over to a chair near Cato's study table where his computer and stacks of CD's and lots of other random things were messily scattered. She looked through some of the stuff before putting her bag down.

"Okay," Cato said as he reemerged from the door. "I'm ready to become a little smarter."

He walked over at Clove's side and hastily pushed aside the things on his table to make room. Cato dragged another chair and sat on it, motioning for Clove to do the same with the chair that was already there.

"Okay. Do you have your notebook with you?" Clove asked taking a seat and bringing out her notes.

Cato extracted a notebook and a pen from his school bag and placed them on the table beside Clove's. "I do and it doesn't have much in it."

"That's okay. You can copy my notes after I explain them to you. But before that, I need to know what topics you are finding difficulty so that I'll know where to start."

Cato gazed at his ceiling. "Everything?"

"That's impossible," Clove said before opening her notebook. "Here are all the topics we have discussed in class so far. Now which of these do you find hard?"

If this were the tutor his father had hired him sometime ago, Cato would have said he find chemistry easy and that the he should stop wasting his time but it wasn't. She was Clove and Cato was really glad he sucked at chemistry because now he had a reason to make Clove stay. He moved his chair closer to Clove.

"I told you, everything. I think I understood bits and pieces of some of the lectures like that one about acids and bases that we did together but for the most part, everything's mixed up and too complicated," Cato said truthfully.

Clove sighed and determinedly uncapped her pen. "That's alright. Since I don't know how much you understand on the topics, we'll start with the very first one and work our way to the last."

Fifteen minutes into the lesson, Cato couldn't believe he was actually making sense of the letters and the arrows and the 'aq's. It amazed him how Clove can phrase such complex ideas into simple words easy enough to understand. She was the best teacher Cato ever had.

They lost track of time and before they knew it, it was already ten past nine but Clove didn't mind much. It felt surprisingly rewarding to see Cato's progress.

"Is there anything you can't do?" Cato asked as he closed his notebook he had just filled with Clove's notes.

Clove smiled. "I can't fly."

"That can be arranged," Cato said.

Clove leaned back into a slouching postion and closed her eyes. "I mean fly, like a bird."

Cato stared. His study light was casting a peculiar yet warm glow on Clove's face. He traced Clove's profile with his eyes. Clove's hair, eyes, nose, cheeks... lips. Cato swallowed. He had kissed those lips before and he would give anything to feel them against his own again at this moment. "I'd give you wings if I could."

Clove's eyes snapped open. She looked at the other who was giving her an intense stare.

"Don't go yet," Cato said quickly before Clove could say anything.

Unsure of what to do, Clove stayed on her seat but quickly broke eye contact. She could feel her heart rate getting higher while the familiar warmth around her collar and the unsettling feeling in her stomach started to surface. She couldn't tell whether she was ecstatic or terrified. Maybe both.

Friends, Cato kept reminding himself but it wasn't registering anymore. All he knew was the great urge to feel Clove against him and the awareness of their proximity. Slowly, Cato reached for Clove's face and leaned closer, his eyes hypnotized by the emerald orbs. Clove's eyes widened but did not make any effort to struggle when Cato angled his head to face her. Cato could feel Clove's nerves which excited him all the more.

"Please don't kill me," he whispered quickly before completely closing the gap.

* * *

**So how was it? I know there's nothing much going on in this chapter but it's a good way to go. You know, character development or something. Haha. But anyway, tell me what you think :" Reviews really mean a lot to me :) Oh and Im half way done with the other chapter so I might update this again tomorrow :)**


	26. Chapter Twenty Five

"I'm all set!" Annie announced to them.

Clove, Katniss, and Finnick watched her as she carefully placed her bulging backpack on the floor and opened it with as much excitement as a child opening a birthday present. They leaned into the bag's opening expectantly. Inside were gaming consoles, a PSP and a Wii DS. They stared at Annie.

This was Annie's guilty pleasure. She might seem girly but she loves playing video games. It was her past-time besides her passion for photography.

"Jeez Annie," Finnick said staring inside the bag. "I hope you didn't forget to pack the chargers. Three days in a hill will definitely eat up their batteries."

"Our adviser said not to bring anything electronic except for a cell phone, a flashlight, and maybe a camera to document the trip," Katniss said sternly. "These will get confiscated."

" If he finds out. Which he won't," Annie assured them as she closed the bag again. "I've thought of this all night and I think I've figured out a very genius way to hide these."

"Would it kill you to not play any games for three days? We'll be hiking most of the time anyway so you won't have the opportunity to play," Katniss said while Clove just watched.

"Yes, it will," Annie said.

"How did you survive the other school trips?" Clove asked interestedly.

"She didn't," Finnick said. "Like you, it's her first time to join New Trier's school trip."

"First time and it just had to be a mountain, a freaking mountain that will take me miles away from my gaming station, my dark room and sever my ties with electricity!" Annie complained while slinging back the bag onto her back and almost losing her balance in the process. "There's a reason why we are living in the era of technology and I see no point in going up a mountain to play Dora the explorer."

"It's not a mountain Ann," Finnick sighed.

"Whatever, Finn." Annie sticked out her tongue at Finnick and pinched his nose. Finnick just smiled and poked her cheeks.

Katniss and Clove looked at each other. These were simply in love with each other. Unfortunately, they were both too oblivious to see.

It was very early with the sun still somewhere that is not Chicago sky. Finnick and Annie drove to the Everdeens' house to get Clove and Katniss so they could go to school together. Clove and Katniss already had their bags with them while waiting in the living room and immediately went out to meet Finnick and Annie as soon as they heard Finnick's car despite Aunt Marie's protests. She insisted that they eat two extra servings of breakfast to prepare for the long trip.

"If you bring your consoles with you and they get confiscated, you'll forever sever ties with them," Katniss told Annie who just rolled her eyes and muttered things like 'party pooper' and 'uptight freak' under her breath like a spoiled child.

"Did you pack enough bathroom tissues and hand sanitizers? I left them on the table," Aunt Marie said stepping out from the front door to join them.

"Yes mom. We got them," Katniss answered a little embarrassed while Finnick and Annie giggled under their breaths.

"Looks like you're all ready to go camping," she said as she walked over to them.

"Good morning Mrs. Everdeen," Finnick said and Annie copied him.

She smiled at them looking like she too was excited and gave the car parked down their driveway a scrutinizing look. The look that Finnick received made him cringe in the inside though Aunt Marie's face didn't show any anger albeit her smile faltered a bit. "Did you drive?"

"No ma'am. The family driver drove us here and he'll be driving the four of us to school," Finnick answered quickly.

"I'm sure Finnick won't be driving his car before he gets a license," Uncle Frank said as he too stepped out of the door. He was carrying a brown paper bag.

"Good morning Mr. Everdeen," Annie greeted and Finnick politely nodded.

"The sandwiches!" Aunt Marie said eyeing the bag in her husband's hand. Uncle Frank shrugged as she quickly grabbed it and gave it to Katniss. "I made these for you and Clove. You can share them with Finnick and Annie too. There's enough for all."

Katniss winced before hesitantly taking the bag. She had hidden it behind the microwave oven. Why did her father have to find it?

"Thanks mom," she said anyway silently cursing Annie and Finnick who were muttering 'aawww...' not so softly.

"Now don't forget, give us a call as soon as your bus leaves and when you get to Black Hills," Aunt Marie reminded them.

"The signal is probably bad up there, mom," Katniss said.

"Even so. Your dad and I have to know that you and Clove are okay," she said.

Katniss nodded while Clove smiled at Uncle Frank and Aunt Marie reassuringly.

"We'll surely call," she told them and Aunt Marie looked relieved.

"Time's running," Uncle Frank announced and they all turned to him. "I think we should let them go or their bus will leave without them."

Katniss was thankful for her father's intervention because Aunt Marie looked like she was beginning to second-guess her decision of letting her precious little girls join a trip to the Black Hills Finnick nodded at the couple before leading the group to the car.

"Oh, right," she said hesitantly and watched them walk towards Finnick's car and climb in with all their stuff.

"Have fun!" Uncle Frank called out waving from the front door and they waved back.

"Don't go wandering by yourselves!" Aunt Marie added worriedly but the white vehicle had already started moving and was quickly disappearing from view.

...

New Trier looked peculiarly alive without the sun because of the presence of the students, most of whom were looking groggy and sleepy for waking up before the sun even rose. These kids were clearly not early risers.

In front of the main building were four tourist buses waiting at the parking lot where cars were arriving one by one to drop another groggy-looking student to join the bunch.

Katniss, Clove, Annie, and Finnick stepped out of the vehicle carrying their bags and joined their classmates who were already assembled in lines. Clove felt a little excited when she saw the buses but she found herself smiling more at seeing that other people looked dead. She took it as a sign of peaceful travel.

"Attention," said a magnified voice of a man they recognized as their social science teacher. He was standing in front with a megaphone in one hand and a thin collection of paper on the other.

"In five minutes, you will all be boarding the buses. The seat assignments are posted by the door of each bus so you will all follow that. The bus where you will be assigned will be your permanent group and each bus will get a faculty member to look after the group. Your seatmate will also be your buddy and roommate for the duration of the trip."

There were a few groans of protests here and there and Clove heard the girl behind her mutter 'screw seat assignments'. She chuckled before she realized that she too will be facing the problem of not knowing who her buddy going to be.

The students started walking towards the buses to see what bus they'll be getting on and who their buddies will be when Clove caught sight of Cato walking over to her carrying a backpack with a big smile. Clove felt herself become suddenly nervous and sweating a little despite the cold morning air as flashes of last night's events came to her.

_"No," Clove said softly after she had pushed Cato to break the kiss. Their lips met but only for a moment._

_Cato was snapped out of his daze at Clove's words. "Right. Sorry," he muttered without thinking while he retreated out of Clove's personal space._

_Both of them were silent and breathing a little heavily while still seated in front of Cato's study table. He chanced a look at Clove who was blushing madly and had her eyes glued to the periodic table of elements they had been using earlier like it was going to talk to her any moment. On her lap were her hands fidgeting nonstop and Cato had to force himself to look away because what he was finding Clove's embarrassment too cute and maybe a little exciting. The silence that was full of tension dragged on for a couple of minutes and they became too aware of the sound of their breathing and the heat radiating from each other._

_"Screw this," Cato suddenly muttered before grabbing the back of Clove's head and leaning in again to capture her lips hungrily. He closed his eyes as their lips touch for the second time, half-expecting a slap or a punch to come. Nothing._

_Clove's hands were grasping the front of Cato's shirt while the other deepened the kiss. He used the hand at the back of Clove's neck to pull her closer while the other hand grasped one of Clove's wrists. Cato sucked at her lower lip slowly before trailing a wet tongue on it, feeling elated that he hadn't received any sign of rejection from Clove yet._

_Clove knew Cato wanted access and everything was happening too quickly and too out-of-instinct for her to think through. Somewhere far, she knew this shouldn't be happening but right now Clove's instinct was telling her to part her lips. Before she knew it, Cato's tongue was in her mouth and sliding against her own._

_Cato's heart leapt when he felt Clove's tongue move hesitantly. He smiled into the kiss before moving closer to Clove and for a moment, he thought it would never end._

_That is, until he felt hands pushing gently on his chest. Cato needed every fiber of self-control in his body to pull away and break the kiss. He groaned a little as he did, making sure he dragged the kiss a little longer before completely pulling away but he was rewarded with a very dazed-looking Clove with messy hair and wrinkled shirt, breathing heavily. She was looking down at her lap again with such obvious shyness and innocence and Cato bit his lip hard. Damn._

_Clove took a moment to catch her breath before speaking. "I, uh... This isn't..."_

_She was startled by a finger suddenly pressed against her lips. Clove tried to look at it and then turned her gaze to Cato's eyes, the finger being the only thing that was between them._

_"You don't have to say anything," Cato said quietly before removing his index finger but not breaking eye contact. He knew Clove was too embarrassed about what had just happen and he wanted to save her from the awkwardness. He didn't want Clove to regret this once again._

_Clove nodded before looking away, silently grateful that she didn't have to say anything. She hastily gathered her notes and pens and stuffed them carelessly in her bag almost as if just to do something. Cato took this as a cue that tonight's study session had ended. He had to admit this turned out better than the last time._

_"I'll drive you home," he said casually as he stood up like nothing happened while straightening his shirt. It was a little hard to restrain a smile._

_"Sure," Clove muttered in a pitch a little higher than she intended and she quickly cleared her throat. She fumbled with the zipper of her messenger bag before rising as well, hastily running her finger through her locks to fix it, specially the area at the back of her head where Cato's hand had held her._

_Cato breathed deeply as he struggled to keep the casual aura to make Clove feel a little comfortable. He watched the other busy herself with her stuff and he had to restrain a very big smile that was threatening to show once more. Clove was too cute, he felt really happy and hopeful. Maybe they're getting there._

_"Are you ready to go?"_

_Clove nodded quickly but refused to meet his eyes. "Yeah, let's go."_

_The drive towards the Everdeens' house was silent except for the occasional small talk about the Law of Conservation of Mass which they both eagerly discussed. None of them said anything about the kiss but they both knew, all those time they've spent inside the car in that long drive, it's the only thing they were thinking about._

"Good morning," Cato greeted.

"Hey," Clove said giving him a small smile. She shook her head a little to shake off her nerves.

Katniss, Annie, and Finnick all smiled at Cato as he joined them. They let the rest of the school go the lists first.

"This should be fun," Cato said and his eyes flickered ever so quickly at Clove's wrist. He smiled widely at seeing the bracelet. "This will be the first time I'm joining the school trip."

"Where's Peeta and Marvel?" Finnick asked looking around.

Cato shrugged lightly. "They are... fixing some things."

Clove eyed him suspiciously. "What things?"

"Just things. Don't worry too much about it, my slave," he said flicking Clove's hair playfully. "They'll be joining us soon."

Clove waved Cato's hand away with an air of annoyance. "Employee."

"I think we should take a look at the lists so that we could all get good seats at the bus," Annie said as she watched the rest of the student body crowd around the lists and board the buses. "I hope I get a decent buddy, or at least not that Richmond guy. His breath smells"

"That won't be necessary, Annie," Cato said.

"What do you mean?" Katniss asked.

"I've already thought about this last night and I've fixed everything," he answered confidently.

Clove raised an eyebrow. "Is that what Peeta and Marvel are fixing?"

"Uhuh," Cato answered with a big smile. The mental image of Clove's blushing face was clearly imprinted in his memory and he was remembering it right then.

"We're getting behind schedule people! Move it, move it! Get on the buses!" one of the teachers spat on one of the megaphones as she furiously ushered people on the buses.

Clove pointedly looked at Cato upon hearing it. "Maybe we should find out what buses we're on at least."

At that moment, Peeta and Marvel came walking towards them looking smug. Cato gave them a questioning look as they joined them, to which they answered a triumphant grin.

"We're all good," Peeta announced.

"Cool," Cato said before turning to the rest of the group. "We're on bus one. Come on."

Peeta and Marvel immediately followed Cato as he walked towards the said bus. Finnick, Katniss, Annie, and Clove just watched confused.

"What? Come on," Cato called when he realized Clove and the others were not following.

"Are you sure about this?" Clove asked, voicing out the rest of the group's sentiment.

"Of course I'm sure. Now come on," Cato said.

"We've fixed everything. Just trust us," Peeta assured them and they followed.

"Oh, and Clove," Cato called, suddenly facing back and walking towards her. He handed her his backpack. "Carry this for me. I have really important things in there so be careful."

Clove glared at him but managed to stop herself from throwing out a 'screw you'. "Sure," she said instead and heaved the backpack to her back. It weighed a ton.

"Good girl," Cato sneered at her before walking towards the bus. Had he known school trips were this fun, Cato would have joined every single one. This trip hadn't even started yet but he was already enjoying it.

...

The sun was just rising when the buses pulled out the school's parking lot and headed for Black Hills.

As it turned out, what Peeta and Marvel were fixing was their bus seats and therefore their buddy assignments. Clove resolutely kept her attention to the window beside her as Cato, who was incidentally her buddy, kept taking pictures of her. She had protested earlier saying that she wanted her cousin to be her buddy but Cato countered her with a wave of a very familiar-looking piece of paper.

"You'll have to be readily available in case I need you," Cato told her with a smile that screamed 'I win'.

Surprisingly, Katniss did not object at all, just shrugging as her cousin was dragged to the seat beside Cato while Peeta quickly stepped in to take his place. Clove and Cato's seats were directly in front of them so Clove didn't miss it when Peeta smiled at Katniss as she settled down the seat beside him and her cousin returned it. There was clearly something that Katniss forgot to tell her.

"Will you stop that," Clove said annoyed as Cato's camera blinded her with a flash. "The contract does not give you any right to take pictures, being it a form of privacy invasion."

Cato smirked before putting his camera back in his bag. "I have decided that I will document this entire trip since it is my first school trip. The pictures are necessary, slave. You'll have to bear with it."

Clove just rolled her eyes before turning back to the window.

"You're just mad because your cousin wants to sit with Peeta instead of you," Cato said. Clove ignored him.

"It looks to me like your cousin is happy when she is with Peeta," he added offhandedly and Clove turned to him.

"I know."

Behind Katniss and Peeta's seat were Annie and Finnick. Annie had her giant big bag on her occupying the entire space between her and the seat in front of her. She was leaning inside the bag, hands inside it. Finnick knew what the other was doing inside it. He just shrugged and closed his eyes to sleep, smiling at how _his _Annie seemed to be enjoying the trip with her gaming consoles... Wait, what.

Marvel was inevitably paired up with Thresh. Their seat was behind Annie and Finnick's and Marvel couldn't help but get curious as to why Annie Cresta had almost the whole of her upper body inside a bag.

The traffic was smooth and their bus breezed through the highway. Clove watched her window as the view outside gradually change from suburban, to city-like, and then to country highway. The buildings and lights were replaced by occasional trees and vast desert-like spaces and Clove continued watching like it was a movie.

"If you're going to stare out the window the entire trip, I might end up breaking it in jealousy," Cato said after the first hour of their trip.

Clove turned to him briefly before going back to the window. "Go sleep or something."

It was then that she felt a sudden weight on her right shoulder. She turned to it and found Cato's head resting on the crook of her neck. Clove quickly moved her shoulder and Cato was forced to sit up.

"That was rude," he told Clove with a pout.

Clove rolled her eyes. "Okay, I'm facing you now. Happy?"

"A little," Cato said rubbing his chin. "Do you really find the scenery more interesting than me?"

"This is the first time I'll get to see more of this place since I moved here," Clove explained in her monotonous voice while facing the window.

"But there's nothing out there but sand, and trees, and leaves, other buses, and tons of other boring things," Cato complained. "There's nothing out there that is worth your attention."

"I know, it's just that this is kind of a new chapter in my life," Clove began before turning back to him. "I'm making memories and want to remember everything."

A warm hand wrapped itself around hers and Clove looked down to see Cato's.

"Here," Cato said before placing the camera in Clove's hand. "So you can capture memories."

"But—"

"Just take it for now," he cut in. "I'll just borrow it from you sometimes. We can both put our memories in there."

Clove hesitantly took the camera, holding it with both hands afraid that she'll break or damage it. She had seen cameras like this on the internet and in school being used by her schoolmates but Cato's was somehow different though she might be wrong. It looked fairly the same as those she had seen except that this one was red and Cato's name was printed or hand-painted at the side. She held the thing a little more tightly. The last thing she needed was her debt to increase if she accidentally dropped it.

"Just press the tiny button thing at the top to take pictures," Cato said as he grabbed Clove's hand and leaned a little closer to teach her how to operate it. "Press the one beside it to switch to video recording. You can zoom in or out with this knob thing. See?" he asked as he moved the said knob for demonstration. He inwardly smile because Clove was stiff and careful not to turn her head to him. They were really close.

"Okay. I think I can do it," Clove said and Cato released her hands.

She turned to window again and directed Cato's camera outside before pressing the small button. Clove then turned the camera to see the shot at LCD screen and smiled at the clarity of it.

"Thanks," she muttered to Cato.

"No problem," he answered smiling. Clove looked really shy. "You can have it if you want though I have to replace my name at the side with yours first."

"What? No," Clove said quickly. "I can't, I mean, I don't want it."

"Are you sure?" Cato asked. "I don't mind at all."

"I'm sure," Clove answered nodding her head as if to emphasize. She quickly turned back to the window to signal the end of the discussion before Cato can force to give her anything more.

Cato decided that to let Clove win this time and made a mental note to give Clove lots of gifts as soon she becomes comfortable enough to take them. Cato was an awesome and not to mention, a generous boyfriend after all.

He kept silent and turned to the movie being shown on the bus' TV but kept glancing in Clove's direction. He watched as the other took pictures and videos from the window and checked her shots on the LCD at the back with a slight frown. It was more interesting than whatever movie they were showing. After the next hour, Cato felt a weight on his left shoulder. He was surprised to see Clove's face so close, eyes shut face relaxed in sleep, the camera resting safely in her limp but securely closed hands. Cato smiled before slowly adjusting the head on his shoulder to a more comfortable position, making sure not to wake up the other. He hesitated for a moment then shrugged before placing hand on Clove's forehead to brush off the hair and planting a soft a kiss on the skin beneath.

...

"Well that's cute."

Clove forced one of her eyes open, a little annoyed at the voice that woke her. She was in one of those really good and dreamless sleeps when familiar voices tore her out of her slumber. Her body felt nicely warm.

Katniss, Annie, Finnick, Peeta, and Marvel's faces greeted her. They were all standing at the side and leaning in front of her with smug and amused faces.

"Slept well Clo?" Annie asked with a smirk.

"Yeah," Clove muttered wondering why they're all looking at her like that. She yawned, ignoring the giggles that erupted from them before flexing her neck. She couldn't.

Clove just then realized that something was resting on the side of her head and she had a very good idea of what it was. Turning slowly, an ear and locks of familiar blonde hair came in to view.

Without thinking, she quickly retreated back to her side of the seat causing Cato's head to slide down and hit Clove's lap. The falling sensation woke Cato up. Laugh erupted around them as Cato brushed off the sleep from his eyes confused.

"Good morning Cato," Marvel greeted him.

"Morning," Cato returned with a smile down from Clove's lap.

"Get off!" Clove muttered hastily before pushing Cato off her lap.

"Ow!" Cato muttered when his head hit the back of the seats in front of theirs. "I'm your boss you know!"

"No need to be shy, Clo. You two looked very cute," Finnick assured her and Clove glared.

"We were just... I fell asleep, and uh," Clove tried to explain with a dignified voice. When did she fall asleep?

"Save it. It's not like we don't know," Marvel joined in and the rest blurted out their laughs. The bastards.

Cato on the other hand was just quietly sitting beside her with a smile. "I... we... It's not—"

"We're going to go buy some snacks," Katniss cut in and managed to kept her face straight. "I'll get you something too if you don't want to go down."

"Or if they prefer to sleep in," Marvel added innocently.

Clove ignored him. "Go out? Where?"

"We've stopped for a fifteen-minute travel break," Peeta explained. Clove gazed out her window and indeed, the bus had stopped. Outside were groups of students eating and walking around to stretch their legs.

"We'll be at the snack shop if you change your mind," Katniss said before turning to the aisle and walking towards the front of the bus, the others trailing behind her.

The bus was silent and Clove guessed there wasn't anyone on anymore except for her and Cato. She awkwardly glanced at the other. "You want to get something?"

Cato had his head leaning back in a relaxed position. He turned to Clove. "Nah, I don't feel hungry."

"Okay, then. Can you move over so that I can pass?" Clove asked.

Cato stared at the bus' roof thoughtfully before looking back at her. "Nope. I feel lazy," he said simply.

Clove sighed. "Move over. I'm going out."

Cato raised an eyebrow before crossing his legs, effectively blocking Clove's path. "Is that how you talk to your employer Van Roberts?"

Clove bit her tongue. "Do you have anything you want me to do?"

"Not at the moment," he answered.

"Then why can't you just freaking move over and let me pass?" Clove asked through gritted teeth.

"I never said I won't let you pass. I'm merely saying that I won't move," Cato explained with an air of patience as if he was talking to a child.

Clove stared at him. "And you expect me to step over your lap?"

"If you are so desperately in need of fresh air, then it's totally up to you," Cato said.

"I'm serious, Cato. This stopover might be ending soon. I have to get out now," Clove told him. Why can't Cato just grow up and stop acting like goddamn kid?

"So am I," Cato replied unfazed. He was enjoying being in the position where Clove had to beg him and this situation can get so much more interesting.

This was stupid. Clove didn't really have any specific thing she wanted to buy outside nor was she in dire need of a walk for fresh air but she had the right to get out of a freaking bus if she wanted! Her patience was running out fast and she didn't think Cato looked like he was even considering moving out of her way. He was enjoying this.

"You know what," Clove started as she settled in a comfortable position in her seat and crossed her arms in front of her chest, "fine. Be the spoiled brat that you are. See if I care."

"Awww... but that's no fun," Cato complained. "I've let you use my shoulder as a pillow for almost an hour. The least you could do is to provide me entertainment."

"Why am I not surprised that you find entertainment in seeing me angry?" Clove asked with a voice laced with sarcasm. "Oh that's right. Because you're sick."

Cato flinched, feeling regret suddenly creep his insides. "Hey," he said putting a hand behind Clove's neck and soothing her nape. "Don't get mad. I'm sorry okay?"

Clove ignored him.

"Hey. Come on. I think we still have time," Cato said. "We can go get something and walk a little. I'll buy you anything you want."

Clove just rose from her seat and Cato immediately scrambled out of his seat to let her through. She wordlessly stepped onto the bus isle and walked towards the direction of the door without even sparing Cato a glance. Cato trailed behind her feeling stupid when suddenly, Clove turned to him with a smirk. A really sexy one in Cato's opinion.

"Got you," she said and gave Cato a wink before stepping out of the bus.

"The hell..." Cato muttered as he stood alone but found himself smiling. That girl who looked incredibly like Clove had just manipulated him! Who was that and what did she do to the shy and naïve girl he was kissing last night?

"You're going to pay, Van Roberts. Big time," Cato muttered smirking as he followed Clove out the bus.

...

They endured what felt like a couple more hours of the bus ride before it finally went to a stop. The rest of the trip had gone on uneventfully except for some moments that involved Annie and her relationship with her really big bag, Finnick telling her off because it 'bothers him', Cato passing out snacks to everyone and taking pictures, Clove and her peculiar relationship with her window, Cato competing with the said window, and Peeta and Katniss spending the whole trip in comfortable silence.

It was pleasantly sunny and upon stepping out, the greens and the hills air gave the impression of being transported into the other side of the world. Trees, shrubs, bushes, dirt, stones, trees, skies, insects, trees, and trees. Yup, they're definitely not in the usual Chicago anymore.

"I can smell nature," Finnick said as he stepped down the bus' steps and walked around to take in the surroundings.

"I smell dirt," Annie said blandly.

"Oh cool," Marvel interjected from somewhere near a bunch of bushes before stooping down. "Look-y here," he said, his hands caved on each other as he walked to them. He removed the hand covering the other and on his palm was the hairiest, biggest spider Clove had ever seen. Apparently, so was Annie.

"AAAaaahhhhh!" she exclaimed tumbling back and almost tripping on her own feet as she scampered away from the spider.

Peeta, Katniss, Cato, and Clove laughed at Annie's reaction. Finnick was just standing there a little bit unamused. Marvel just smirked. "What's the matter? Afraid of a little spider?"

Annie shot him a murderous look. "Get that thing away from me, Davis or I swear you'll never get back to Chicago alive."

"What?" Marvel asked innocently. "But I just want to introduce you to my friend here," he said as walked slowly towards Annie.

"I'm serious!" Annie warned taking a few steps back, hiding behind Finnick.

"I think I'll call him Dawg," Marvel mutterd to his palm and ignoring Annie's words. "Dawg, that skinny girl over there who's too sissy to come over is Cresta. She's a sissy," he added pointing a finger at her.

"Hey stop that," Finnick said with danger ringing in his voice. Marvel just huffed and let go of the big, hairy spider.

"Screw you asshole!" Annie spat before running off. Finnick was about to chase her but he knew that she needed time to cool things off her head.

Clove felt a little sorry for her but she couldn't help but laugh along. "So this is one of the reasons she didn't want to join the school trip huh?"

Finnick and Katniss nodded.

"Yes. Annie is mortally afraid of anything that crawls and has more than four legs," Finnick told her as the laughter died down.

"Spiders pretty much have the whole package. They got eight," Katniss added.

"You don't say," Marvel said smirking while he rubbed his chin.

"I know that look," Cato told Marvel.

"If you're gonna do something funny, don't. I'll hunt you down. Don't scare Annie." Finnick said in a monotonous voice. It sounded like a threat.

"What? You like Cresta?"

"Why do you care?"

"So you like her?" Marvel smirked.

"Just don't scare her," Finnick said, shrugging it off.

Their chat was cut off when the sound of the megaphone being turned on was heard followed by the voice of their teacher.

"Ehem," he cleared his throat on the device and the students went quiet. He was standing on a big boulder.

"As you all know, we'll be staying in the hills lodge for tonight. You are all free to roam the place as long as it is inside the lodge and with your buddies. The faculty members will be preparing the supplies and we'll leave early tomorrow on foot to a camp sight higher up on the mountain where we will spend the entire day and night," he explained.

"What?" Annie muttered beside Clove making her jump. When did she get there?

"So tonight, get a good night rest, pack only the necessary belongings and put on your hiking boots. I don't want anybody borrowing other people's tooth brush. Room assignments for tonight will be posted after lunch."

The students immediately went back to what they were doing before the megaphone was heard and their social science teacher stepped off the boulder to join the other faculty members who were heading for the lodge.

"I can't stay on a hill for an entire night!" Annie complained.

"You'll live," Finnick drapped his arms around Annie's shoulders and turned to the lodge uphill. "That looks promising."

It was one of those big brown houses that looked like it was entirely made of wood. Clove wondered how fast it would light up if someone twisted suddenly threw a lighted matchstick on the roof while everyone was asleep. Not very long, Clove thought.

"And they're posting the room assignments after lunch. What is the sense in that?" Annie whined under Finnick's arms.

"Everybody else is depositing their things in the bus," Clove said. "I guess we could do the same and then explore the place a little before lunch."

Cato's ears perked up. "Good idea! Come on Clove. I want to see what's at the back of the lodge."

Clove shifted her gaze from Cato's expectant expression to their friends as if asking if they too would like to come.

"I think I'm going have some coffee or something. I'm sure they serve some up there," Katniss said motioning to the house where they will be staying.

"Me too," Peeta said expectedly.

"I'm coming with them," Annie announced still looking pissed at everything organic.

Finnick and Marvel just shrugged to say that they were too tired to walk.

"Looks like it will be just you and me," Cato told Clove with a wide smirk.

"On second thought, I—thin"

"As my slave—"

"Employee," Clove cut in.

"—and more importantly my buddy on this trip, you have to come with me," Cato told her.

"But I—"

"Let's go," Cato said before grabbing Clove's wrist and pulling her towards the mass of vegetation.

Clove stared at her cousin with big eyes and mouthed 'save me' but Katniss just waved at her. She really wanted to have that coffee.

"Have fun!" Peeta called before the two vanished from view.

...

It was already an hour after lunch when Cato decided that he had enough sight-seeing for now and given in to Clove's request of going back to the lodge. He had dragged the other to the uneven, earthy hike paths seeing nothing but trees, dirt, insects, skies and dried leaves, succeeding in soiling their clothes and stressing their muscles but Cato couldn't think of anything else he'd rather do. His stamina was obviously greater than Clove and he had enjoyed seeing the other struggle to keep up with his steps. But more than putting Clove in difficult situations which always gave Cato a sick sense of satisfaction was the hours worth of memories he was able to create with Clove.

"I'm starving," Cato told Clove as they entered the lodge's dining area. It was spacious and almost empty, and like almost everything else in the lodge, everything was made of wood.

"I wonder why," Clove muttered rolling her eyes. She wasn't an employee but a babysitter.

Cato settled down on one of the tables tiredly. "I'll pretend I didn't hear that."

"I'm grateful."

"Go get us some food," he ordered Clove.

"Yes, sir," Clove replied sarcastically and stalked to the food counter.

The others were probably resting in their rooms already. Clove sighed imagining a comfortable bed and how she and Cato spent all morning straining their legs. She was really tired but as much as she wanted to make herself believe that she just had the worst morning of her life, she'd be lying because she actually enjoyed being with her jerk of a boss.

"What will you have, dear?" asked the woman behind the counter.

They had gone a long way. Clove still got annoyed and would always get pissed at Cato but she was already beginning to understand and somehow get used to her actions. Their small quarrels were now gestures of the oddest sense of friendship and she treated them as something more comforting and familiar now than intruding and repulsive like before. She never thought that this day would come, when she would actually feel comfortable around Cato, the same person who not so long ago caused her so much suffering.

"Two of any of your lunch please," Clove told her, catching Cato staring at the corner of her eye.

And then there were those moments when she saw Cato in a whole new light. He could be so kind and caring at times, Clove felt like she could just melt with all the attention Cato was giving her. She had never felt so important, wanted in all her life. She was constantly being reminded of what the other felt for her and how everything were all set and ready. She just needed to say she was ready.

"Thank you," Clove muttered as she handed her a tray with two plates of food.

Then again, was she ready? Clove knew what the implications were going to be if she decided to say yes. She wasn't quite sure yet that she was ready to explore her feelings for Cato. She was afraid and torn between a whirlwind of dilemmas yet she also somehow felt as if everything had never made so much sense than they did now.

Clove was becoming more absorbed by her thoughts that she didn't see the person standing at her side.

"Jesus!" Clove muttered as she bumped her tray and almost lost balance.

"Sorry!" he said.

It was like a cross between being suddenly struck by a jolt of electricity and being dumped in a frozen pool. That voice... she never had the intention of memorizing the sound of it and she thought she had already forgotten. Hearing it again however, made her realize that Clove did recognize the voice.

"Clove"

He had cut his hair but other than that, his dark brown locks and his face remained the same. Even the way he said her name was the same.

"Johnny," Clove muttered automatically.

He seemed nervous all of a sudden, looking down at his shoes. "I can't believe you're here."

Clove found herself frowning and feeling a little dizzy. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in Ireland?"

Johnny was taken aback. He was apparently expecting a warmer response. "Our—my school sent me here, along with other few selected students. We're here in a school trip," he answered smiling. He glanced at Clove's face and then at the tray on her hands. He stared at the two sets of lunch on it. "And you?"

"School trip," Clove replied. He still looked nice.

"What a coincidence," he said. "Are you having lunch?"

Clove followed his gaze to the tray she was holding. "Yes, actually."

"With someone?" he asked casually though Clove knew him enough to hear the anxiety in his voice.

"A friend," Clove said. "A really good one."

Johnny smiled looking relieved. "Do you mind if I join you? My friends all went down to the souvenir shops and I'm kind of alone."

Oh boy. Clove glanced at the table where Cato was seated and even from this distance; she could tell the other went a couple of shades paler. He was watching her and Johnny with narrowed eyes while his hands were curled into fists. She turned to Johnny who was all smiles and Clove swore the heavens hated her.

"Okay."

* * *

**Annie and Finnick are so oblivious. Hahaha. Oh hey! Everlark moments! I know you all want some Everlark, don't deny it! Hahaha. Oh... Johnny. Do you like him? I don't like Johnny very much. He makes Cato angry and sick. Pffft. I'm starting to disown him as my character. Hahaha. But anyway, thank you so much for reading and reviewing. Your reviews really mean a lot to me. It keeps me going. I know I'm not really that good, because sometimes my grammar sucks. English is not my native tongue so I'm still finding it hard to use the words right. I'm sorry if sometimes I disappoint you. But anyway, I love you all! Keep the reviews coming! I'm currently writing the next chapter now because i don't like to keep all of you waiting. I hope you like this chapter though. :) I can smell some drama about to come...**


	27. Chapter Twenty Six

"Shit"

Cato was tired and hungry and sweaty and maybe, his head was playing tricks on him. Clove and an unidentified boy were walking towards him and he could have sworn she saw Clove flinch a moment ago. Of course he had been watching; Cato was always watching Clove whenever he can and so he saw that look. He couldn't explain it but he could tell that something was up.

There were a dozen questions in his head as to why this boy was walking with Clove, apparently on his way to join them. Why would he and more importantly, why would Clove let him?

Stupid, Cato thought. Of course Clove would let him. She was one of the nicest people in the world and this boy was probably an outcast or just another admirer of his Clove. No problem. Cato could easily kick him off the hill if he wanted.

"Umm..." Clove said awkwardly when they reached the table. Cato took the tray from her and placed it on the table before forcing a smile.

Up close, he had to admit the boy looked good. He was tall, but Cato knew that he was taller by an inch. His dark brown hair were like Clove's. He must be some kind of cousin or something. Well that's what he was forcing himself to think. Because obviously, there was no way this boy was Clove's cousin. He was smiling at Cato as he stood beside Clove expectantly.

"Aren't you going to introduce me?" he asked Clove. His voice was strong.

For some reason, Clove looked like she was suddenly experiencing pain somewhere and Cato's stomach sank. "Oh yeah, sorry."

"You never change," he said slapping her arm playfully and Cato almost knew.

"Cato, this is Johnny," Clove muttered in the most boring voice that hid well the chaotic state of her mind.

"Hi," he said holding out a hand to him.

"Cato," he said as he shook his hand with a slight force. That name rang a bell, a huge rusty one.

"Nice to meet you."

"Right back at you," he managed to say. It can't be...

They sat down, Johnny taking the seat between them. He straightened the creases of his grey shirt and ran his fingers through his locks, smiling at him briefly and then at Clove. "I'm a, friend of Clove's from Ireland. We've known each other since our freshman year in high school."

Cato nodded stiffly, letting his words sink in. He heard the note of hesitation when he said the word 'friend'. He thought for something to say when he caught Clove looking at him before closing her eyes. Was that...

"I'm from Chicago," he said lamely and the boy laughed.

"A friend of Clove from school?" he asked.

He was smiling shippishly at him and he hated him for it. Cato glanced at Clove who was staring back at him with some sort of message that he didn't understand.

"Well?" he pushed.

"Yes. I'm a friend of hers. We're lab partners too," Cato told him like it was something to brag about.

He nodded. "You're lucky. Clove here is very smart, specially in things like chemistry and biology."

Cato felt annoyed. He didn't need to tell him that as if he just met Clove yesterday.

"I know."

"Cato's quite good too. If only he'd take time to study," Clove said.

Cato smiled widely. He felt happy that Clove thought so but it was somehow even more special when she said it in front of Johnny.

He nodded again obliviously and Cato decided he hated the way he nods. "She always tutored me when she was still in Ireland. It's the only reason I managed to pass last year," he said laughing before looking at Clove.

"You could have passed without my help," Clove said.

"Don't be so modest. You're a great teacher," he told Clove leaning to her a little. Cato hated the way he leaned too.

He turned to Cato and said, "Anyway, I hope she's not blowing you off every time you ask her to go out. Is she still killing herself with multiple sidelines?"

He watched Clove as she laughed softly and Johnny smiled in her direction. Barely a minute in a table with him and Cato decided he already despised him.

"Well it's true! You rarely got out when you were still in Ireland and I doubt you changed," he told Clove before turning back to Cato. "I'm right, aren't I?"

Cato clutched the hem of his shirt under the table with so much force that he could feel his nails digging in to the skin of his palm through the cloth. Clove avoided his gaze while Johnny looked expectantly at him.

"Yes. She, uh, got a couple of jobs," he muttered staring at nowhere in particular and decided that this was the lousiest conversation he had ever made. It wasn't like he tried anyway.

"See?" he said victoriously pointing a finger at Clove. "You need to go out more, give others a chance to know you. You're a great person but they think you're antisocial because you're too reserved."

Clove and Johnny were looking at each other and Cato suddenly felt panic rising. He loudly cleared his throat, making the two break the sickening eye-contact and look at him instead. "So uh, Johnny, you... uh, live here or something?"

The look that Clove gave him and the dropping of his jaw made him inwardly smile. Lovely.

"I told you I'm from Ireland," he told him and then he suddenly laughed, apparently taking it as a joke. "But I like the mountains and hills too. I wouldn't mind living up here for a year or two. Unfortunately, I'm just here for a three-day school trip. This is a very rare opportunity actually. Only few students were selected to come here."

Clove seemed relieve. "I already told him that we're on a school trip too."

"Well what a coincidence this is!" Cato said exaggeratedly. "This could be the best trip ever."

Clove didn't miss the sarcasm in his voice but it seemed like Johnny did. He smiled at Cato. "I know. It's great to spend some time with Clove."

There was that look-exchanging again that irritated the hell out of Cato and made his hand itch to take someone's eyes out, particularly brown headed boys with grey shirts. He quickly thought of something else to say, anything to stop that damn looking-at-each-other thing.

"You two seem very close," Cato said casually and reached for his plate from the tray.

He instantly regretted saying those words. From merely looking at each other, the look that they exchanged was suddenly laced with some sort of connection and intimacy that made him feel like an intruder. The plate slipped.

Johnny jumped at the sound of the clattering plate on the table and Clove quickly looked at Cato. Their eyes met for only a second but it was enough for him to let Clove know how he felt.

"Sorry," Cato told them. He reached for the plate that was miraculously undamaged and dragged it to him.

"It's okay, man. But be careful next time," he assured him. "Why aren't you guys eating?" he asked suddenly before taking Clove's plate and putting it front of her. He reached for the utensils too and handed them to Clove and Cato. "You can eat while I'm here. I don't mind."

Cato had a million sarcastic and insulting responses to that but he found himself not saying anything. He thanked him for the spoon and silently seethed as he watched him look at Clove and fix her glass and napkin like a good little husband.

"I can do it on my own," Clove told him as he tried to mix her salad for her.

"Okay," he said a little taken aback and a bit apologetically at the same time. "It's just, it's been so long and... I missed you."

Cato felt his salad going back up to the back of his throat. He felt suddenly sick. He looked at Clove to see her reaction and Cato was sure he felt a huge chunk of his being died at that moment. He was in pain yet he wasn't and he wanted to cry and run away, or maybe cut off all of Johnny's hair or push him off the cliff. Clove was giving him a look that he so damn wished she would also give him. She still hadn't forgotten about him.

Had he stayed there for one more moment, Cato would have cried his face off and he didn't want Clove seeing him like that. So he stood and sharply turned to the door's direction before walking away without a word. He could hear Johnny calling to him and he fought the urge to give him the finger. He wanted to know if Clove was calling him too but he was crying. Freaking crying and he'd rather be dead than let Clove see it.

He pushed the door open and walked straight to the direction he hoped would lead him to a nice quiet place where he could break something and cry his eyes out in peace. He was walking away from Clove knowing full well that her ex-boyfriend was there and that probably giving them time alone together would lead to a very bad event that he would surely regret. He would hate himself forever for being the coward that he never knew he could be and not doing anything but right now, he needed to get away.

And so the brat prince walked, cursing every tree and stone on his path as if they too were conspiring against him, as if they brought Johnny to this place. How was he to know that Johnny would be here? He read the files his investigators had given him about him and the last time he checked, Ireland was miles away from Black Hills. They were on some hill for crying out loud and the last thing Cato expected to find here were little ex-boyfriends popping out of nowhere to steal his happiness away.

"FUCK!"

...

"Cato?"

Marvel could have sworn he heard someone crying but seeing his friend curled up on the bed that was his by the way, made him feel relieved. The hills air was making him hear things.

Cato sat up and Marvel was shocked to see the puffy red eyes and the tears running down his face.

"Oh. My. God. You cry?"

Cato rolled his eyes. "If Katniss wasn't in the room with Peeta, I would have been there, and yes Marvel, I do cry. It's quite normal for a human being."

Marvel found himself scratching his head. "But you never... Right. Sorry."

Cato waved a hand before loudly blowing his nose on a napkin.

"So aren't you here to spill your guts out while I say 'Screw it man. Good days will come too'?" Marvel asked as he sat down beside Cato, finally getting over the shock of seeing him crying.

Cato sighed. "I guess I'd have to settle for what's available."

"Mellark is too busy right now," Marvel said nodding.

He stared at his hands and breathed deeply. "Clove's ex-boyfriend is here."

"WHAT?" Marvel's eyes were wide as saucers. "I didn't know she has a boyfriend! No wonder she won't let you touch her."

"Thanks, Marvel. You always know how to make me feel better," Cato said. "And that's had. He was Clove's boyfriend."

"Oh man," Marvel added helpfully, shaking his head as though his friend was doomed. "So where is she?"

"Clove?"

"Who else?"

"With his ex-boyfriend of course. Why would I be bawling here if she wasn't? I never knew that jealousy could actually cause physical pain and give you weird ideas like murder. It's so messed up."

They were silent. Marvel racked his brain for something to say to Cato. He was never good with this sort of thing. It was Peeta the wise who always played this role, not him. Besides, it wasn't clear to them what exactly Clove and Cato were. They all knew Cato was somehow wooing (in a way that was unique and exclusively understood by Cato himself alone) her while Clove helplessly dodged and sometimes, somehow returned (in a way that was unique and exclusively understood by Clove herself alone) his show of affection.

Yet it was clear that Clove had enough hold on his friend to cause him to break down like this. He had been friends with Cato for a long time and saw how he played around breaking other people's hearts on a nightly basis. They didn't care, especially not Cato who never got attached to anyone. Nothing could have prepared Marvel to see the day that it would be Cato's turn to cry.

"I'm waiting for the 'Screw it man. Good days will come too' part," Cato told him.

It broke his heart too but somehow, Marvel didn't understand.

"Wait a minute," Marvel said instead. "This doesn't make sense."

Cato huffed. "Tell me about it."

"No," Marvel said suddenly standing up before starting to pace the room. "I mean, why are you crying?"

He stared at Marvel. "Aren't you listening? I told you Clove's boyfriend is here! He's speaking with her now and they could be getting back together at this very moment while I'm here talking to you! I'm freaking crying because I'm losing Clove! I'm losing her to that dumb ex-boyfriend of hers who broke up with her because he can't make Clove stay in bloody Ireland!"

Cato breathed deeply after the outburst. Having just voiced out all those things felt good.

Marvel blinked. "So?"

Cato stared at Marvel like he just lost his mind. "Katniss will probably hate me for this but I'm going to seek Peeta's counsel now," he announced and stood.

"Get your ass back down," Marvel told him. "Don't you see? This is what I've been warning you about."

"Ummm... you never warned me about Clove's boyfriend being here on the hills, Marvel. You didn't even know he existed until just three minutes ago," Cato said.

Marvel rolled his eyes at him. "I'm talking about you becoming soft. Remember?"

Cato stared at the ceiling for a moment and indeed, he vaguely recalled a conversation with Marvel saying that going with the flow was making him soft. "I think."

"Well that's what I'm talking about," he told him. "What happened to you dude? You are supposed to be New Trier's king. You can have what you want, anytime you want, and nothing has ever stopped you before."

Cato just stared at him. "Except Clove."

"And you almost had her!" Marvel said. "Right?"

"Yes?" he answered uncertainly.

"Yes! That's what is important," Marvel said with so much conviction that it scared Cato a little. "Remember who you are. You're filthy rich and popular! You're good looking! You can do anything and not even an ex-boyfriend can do anything about it."

"I can't be like that with Clove," he said dismissively. "She'll hate me."

"Who said that you'll hurt her?" Marvel asked. "I'm just saying that if it comes down to it, you can compete with him and do more. Don't waste your time feeling stupid and get out there. He'll be sorry he ever tried to get Clove back."

Cato stared at Marvel with wide eyes. He's right. Cato didn't know when but somehow, he had stopped doing what he did before whenever he wanted something or whenever he had to get something out of the way to get it. He used to pull a few strings here and there, arrange a couple of favors, manipulate a mind or two, and voila! Not that his charms didn't help of course.

"I think my respect for you has just increased," he told Marvel.

It's not like Clove didn't feel anything for him. Sure, she never said so but Cato was a veteran at reading other people when it came to saying who's into him. That kiss they shared last night gave him a sign, if not an assurance already, that Clove was beginning to like him too.

He was not going to give up on her, especially now. So what if Johnny's here? He broke Clove's heart and threw her out of his life when he could have been understanding. Cato didn't know the whole story but certainly, Clove deserved so much better than that. She deserved Cato.

...

The lodge porch was crowded but the hills air circulating in its open space felt nice so they found the least noisy part of it and decided to settle there. He thanked her for her time with a wide smile which reminded Clove of the time they had spent together.

"You seem to be doing fine," he told Clove.

"I am," she said.

He nodded and began folding the table napkin that was lying on in front of him. "You never called."

Clove watched his long fingers carefully lay down the white paper napkin on the wooden table and folded it in half diagonally. He always liked to do this sort of thing.

"Neither did you."

His hands froze for a second and then went on, making the napkin smaller and smaller as he folded it into triangles. "I was afraid you'd hang up because you're still mad at me."

Clove said nothing. She tore her eyes away from his hands and decided to watch the vast blue sky instead. At the farthest distance, she could see a thin hint of grey. It stood out like sore thumb against all the pretty blues.

"Are you?" he asked suddenly.

"No," Clove said without thinking. It must be raining somewhere while they were enjoying the sunshine here.

"Then why didn't you call?"

Johnny was staring at her intently without a hint of anger or accusing. Just... hurt.

"I don't know," she answered finally. It was the truth.

He seemed even more hurt by the apathy in her voice. "You're still angry at me."

Clove sighed and closed her eyes to make him disappear but as soon as she did, memories of that night came to her. She remembered how she tried to explain, how she believed without a doubt that he'll understand. She remembered him saying no, how he cried and begged and and told her to stay, accused her of terrible things despite how hard Clove tried for him. How could he?

"Maybe."

He smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. "I knew it."

A group of young people at the other side of the open space were laughing loudly as they took pictures and pass around a hat. They were drawing some sort of paper inside and then a wave of laughter would follow. Typical of the students from New Trier, Clove thought. She turned to Johnny.

"Do you regret it?"

He released the white paper crane on the table and clasped his hands together. "Everyday."

...

Clove spent the entire afternoon with Johnny and she could only describe it as pleasant. They had coffee and then walked around the lodge a little. The only thing she needed to worry about was the bracelet Cato had put on her which she still didn't know how to take off. She didn't want Johnny to see it so she wore her jacket the whole day to hide it beneath the long sleeves. Once or twice Johnny had felt it when he pulled at her arms but failed to see it. Thankfully, he didn't ask about it.

Not seeing it however didn't prevent Clove from still feeling it around her wrist and making her remember of the sad and possibly heart-broken Cato. She didn't see him for the rest of the day since he walked out on them during lunch and Clove was beginning to worry. It wasn't like him to run off like that. She had known Cato as a person who would give you hell if you so much as said anything remotely negative about anything that was remotely related to him. But he did ran off and Clove couldn't help but feel that she had done something wrong. No, Clove felt like a big jerk honestly.

She did try to follow Cato after he walked out but Johnny asked her to stay. What was she suppose to say to him? He didn't know anything and Clove wasn't about to explain anything to him when she herself hadn't figured it out yet. So she stayed and Johnny almost took her mind off of Cato though the weight on her wrist always reminded hr.

"What's wrong?" Johnny asked looking up from his plate. He was beautiful.

"Nothing," Clove said and forced a smile before going back to her own dinner.

"Isn't that Cato?" Johnny suddenly asked looking at the direction of the lodge cafeteria's door.

She followed his gaze and indeed, Cato had just entered the room wearing a white shirt and plain black hoodie. Clove watched him as he confidently walked in between the jungle of tables of diners, most of which are students. Clove thought that if she didn't see Cato walk out earlier, she would have thought everything was fine but she knew better. She'd have to talk to him, explain. Something. She didn't realize how long she had stayed like that watching until Johnny whispered something to her.

"I like him you know," he said. "I feel like he really cares for you."

Clove just nodded feeling the bracelet hidden beneath the long sleeves of her hoodie. "He does."

"I think he's looking for you."

Clove stared at her plate. She didn't expect Johnny to tell her that to know that Cato was indeed walking towards them. She had a bad feeling about this but Johnny just smiled as the other approached them. Clove thought that he too was blinded by Cato's boundless glory. She sighed feeling a shadow cast over the table when Cato stopped behind her shoulder smiling widely.

"What a lovely dinner," he remarked with a sweet smile.

Johnny smiled. "Yes. The food here is really good."

"I doubt that but I'll eat it anyway," Cato said taking a seat beside Clove while the two stared at him.

"Cato," Clove muttered softly but with a clear hint of warning.

"What? I'm sure Johnny doesn't mind," Cato told her easily before turning to him with the most charming smile that he can muster giving him. "Do you?"

Johnny looked startled by suddenly being asked the question. "What? Oh, actually I—d"

"Lovely," Cato said without waiting for him to finish and Clove glared at him. He ignored them. "I'm starving."

Clove just rolled her eyes.

"I already gave the lady my order but it's taking forever," Cato told them. "Do you mind if I have some of that?" he asked Clove motioning towards her half-eaten dinner.

Clove stared at him like he was crazy but Cato ignored her again. Instead, he grabbed Clove's fork and help himself to a forkful of whatever it was she was eating. He smiled to himself when he saw Johnny's eyes go wide.

He took his time to chew it, loving the awkward silence and incredulous looks he was getting. "Wow. That tasted unbelievably good though I must say, I don't know what it is."

"It's called carbonara. I'm sure you've had some before," Clove told him with that boring voice of hers.

"Really? I thought it tasted more like... I don't know, mayonnaise? Does carbonara have mayonnaise in it?" Cato said looking at the ceiling as though deciphering the taste. "Your fork tasted really good though."

"Hahahahaha..." Clove laughed suddenly while looking at the confused face of Johnny. "Always the joker, aren't you Cato?"

Clove was patting his shoulder but Cato could feel the force of each pat get stronger and painful. "It wasn't a jo—"

"OKAY!" Clove said loudly drowning the rest of Cato's statement.

"You can have some of mine too, dude," Johnny said suddenly pushing his plate towards him.

Cato smiled at him and took his fork to have some of the carbonara on his plate. "Now that's just nasty."

Johnny's face fell and Cato felt a really painful sting at his thigh where a bony fist had just connected. He winced a little but managed to turn it to a smile. "I sure hope you brush your teeth or use mouthwash at least."

Johnny's face contorted into a cross between a smile and a look of fury. He looked over at Clove uncertainly and then at Cato. "What?"

"It was a joke, haha," Cato told him blandly and now he just looked purely confused.

Clove was horrified at how Cato was acting. Sure, she knew the other was jealous and maybe she did the wrong thing by letting Johnny join them earlier at lunch but why did Cato have to be like this? What was he trying to prove by being rude to him? For the first time, Clove was thankful that Johnny was a bit slow when it came to words.

The tension that surrounded the table that was only meant for two but was somehow catering to three momentarily subsided by the sudden arrival of Cato's dinner. The lady Clove recognized as the same one behind the counter was carrying a tray of newly cooked dinner and even a bottle of wine.

"Here," Cato said and she placed the food in front of him.

Clove watched as she fixed everything from plate to glass, to utensils. Did this place really provide this kind of service?

"Thanks," Cato told her and she smiled at him before leaving the table.

"Wow, I didn't know they do that here," Johnny said as he dragged his plate back in front of him to make room for Cato's. Apparently, he had recovered.

"Oh no," Cato told him. "I asked her to do it as a special service actually, but I paid extra of course."

"Oh," he said.

"So you two used to date right?" Cato blurted out as he chewed on his food.

If he saw that face of Clove in a different situation, Cato would have laughed out loud and teased her to death. But he didn't and he knew this situation was far from funny, even for himself. He hated being the one to cause this discomfort to Clove but it was necessary. He needed to do it. Johnny however, just smiled.

"Yes," he said smiling lightly and aimlessly mixing his pasta. He could already tell he was itching to tell him all about it.

"So you're that mystery boy Clove had been thinking about," Cato said.

Johnny visibly went red. He gazed at Clove smiling shyly. "I guess."

Clove was staring at him, confusion written all over her face. Cato ignored her and turned to Johnny instead. "So what happened?"

"Well, we met each other on our first day of high school. We—" he began but Cato cut him off.

"Not that," he said waving his fork at him. "I mean what happened? Why did you break up?"

"Cato," Clove warned staring at him seriously.

"What? I'm just curious," he told her and turned to Johnny again. "What happened? Clove won't tell me anything about it but I'm sure it's okay if it came from you. Tell me, did she cheat on you?"

"What? No!" Johnny said looking scandalized.

"Really?"Cato said frowning while Clove sat quietly in her seat with eyes closed and one hand massaging her temple. "She was a good girlfriend then?"

"Yes," he said smiling. "The best one any boy could ever have."

"But I thought... with you being nice and all, Clove messed up or something."

Johnny stared down on his food, guilt written all over his face. "It wasn't her... I... it was..."

"It was you?" Cato offered before he felt a strong hand suddenly holding his arm.

"Stop it," Clove muttered in low voice.

"It's okay, Clo," Johnny told her to their surprise. "It really is my fault after all."

Clove was about to say something to him but Cato was faster. "What did you do?"

He seemed to be hesitating and debating with himself whether or not to answer the question. Johnny stared at his hands and then at Clove after which he turned to Cato with renewed confidence. Cato smiled inwardly. This was too easy for him. He had simply said the right words and here he was, about to tell his darkest secret.

"The night I found out that she decided to move to Chicago, I broke up with her. I didn't understand and I was selfish," he said finally, directing his eyes at the ceiling to prevent the tears from coming out. When he was staring at their level again, his eyes were directed at Clove who avoided his eyes.

"Ooohh. That really was selfish," Cato commented that earned him another glare from Clove.

"I was afraid to lose her! I thought she was just making up some excuse so she could break free from me," he rambled.

"But she explained? Surely, a misunderstanding like that must be because she didn't properly—" Cato went on but this time, Johnny cut him off.

"She did explain okay? I was just too confused at the time. It wasn't my fault," he said defensively, finally getting a hint that Cato wasn't just simply curious.

He said it was his fault just a minute ago and now it wasn't. Cato took a big bite of his food as if he couldn't see the boy in front of him being teary-eyed while the girl he had been trying to win over was looking at him venomously. He couldn't believe Clove had fallen for someone like him in the past.

"Of course it is your fault," Cato told him after he swallowed. "Clove is a great person and you've hurt her for no reason. She genuinely cares for you yet that wasn't good enough, was it?"

"Shut up," Clove muttered but Cato pretended not to hear.

"Now you come here, have dinner with her like nothing ever happened. Like you didn't turn your back on her when she was making one of the hardest decisions in her life," he went on, his voice finally losing its casual tone. He enjoyed seeing Johnny flinch at his every word, knowing full well that every bit of it was the truth.

"I said shut up!" Clove said loudly and Johnny felt the tears stream down his face. Wow, Cato thought. This boy was freaking emotional. Ha! 'Cry me a river, asshole.'

Cato stared at Clove. "Why are you defending him? He broke your heart!"

"Cato, please—don't"

"You don't deserve her," Cato told Johnny and he glared at him. "You know it yet you still want her back because you just can't let her be happy. You're just that selfish!"

Something snapped. They didn't realize how quiet the whole dining room had became until just now but something else got Cato's attention more. His left cheek was suddenly stinging and his hand automatically came up to touch it. Clove had just hit him.

"I said stop it," Clove muttered again. She was breathing heavily as though she just ran a mile and the hand that she used to hit Cato was still in the air, shaking slightly. "Stop it."

Cato pressed on the stinging skin and he felt the pain intensify. He stared at Clove with wide eyes then at her raised hand. He couldn't believe it. Cato blinked and he felt a single teardrop roll down his cheek.

"Come on, Johnny," Clove told the floor before she walked over to the said boy, grabbed his arm, led him through the jungle of tables and chairs and then finally dragged him out of the door, not sparing a glance at the other.

Cato was left standing there for the entire crowd to see but he didn't care. What did just happen? It was all like a dream, a really bad one and he was desperately waiting for that moment of awakening when he will be relieved of all this.

But it wasn't a dream. The sting on his cheek was real. The tear that he felt rolling down was real. Clove walking out of this room with Johnny in tow was real too. Cato found himself smiling slowly until he was laughing. The crowd watched him with mixed expressions. He didn't care. Nothing could possibly top what Clove had just done to him because right then, he felt dead.

"Show's over folks!" he announced in a cheery voice that he recognized as his own and he clapped his hands a couple of times to emphasize his point.

He slowly walked towards the door with the horrible events of just moments ago replaying non-stop in his mind as if to mock him. That was when another teardrop rolled down, followed by another then another, and another...he was crying again.

Outside, the sky was dark and Cato felt a strong urge to become part of it. The heck. He knew saw in the map where the campsite they would be going tomorrow, right? What difference would it make if he left now instead of tomorrow?

...

"Where is he?"

For the first time in years, Clove was met with the cold grey eyes of Katniss Everdeen. Clove stared around the room she was sharing with Cato and found that Finnick, Peeta, Marvel, and Annie were also there, also looking at her like she had just murdered a really cute puppy.

"Did I miss something?" she asked them meekly.

"No," Marvel said.

"But apparently, we did," Katniss added.

"O-kay..." Clove muttered. She had just walked Johnny back to his room saying sorry for the way Cato acted. Clove really wanted to just drop him off and talk to Cato but he kept her there for almost two hours, muttering sorry repeatedly and told her about how he was angry and hurt and too in love to think clearly. She heard it all already so she pushed him to his room before he could even ask why Cato even acted that way.

"We know what happened," Peeta told her.

Clove sighed and walked towards her bed. She sat down feeling exhaustion running up her legs.

"I cannot believe you stood up for him, Clo! After what he did, I thought you'd never speak with him again," Katniss scolded her and Clove just kept quiet. "I cannot believe that someone as smart as you can do something so stupid."

If there was anyone who had the right to bite Clove's head off, it was her. She told her everything about the breakup and she knew exactly how devastated Clove was about it. Katniss wanted to give Johnny a piece of her mind but stopped only because her cousin pleaded with her not to.

"Cato was out of line. He shouldn't have said all those things," Clove told them and she could have sworn they were here for hours, formulating a dozen possible retorts to that because then, they all started to give her their ideas.

"Even so! That was just cruel!" Marvel said.

"I never thought you'd be able to do that, to Cato no less!" Annie added.

"How could you?" Finnick asked.

"He was just jealous and protective," Peeta explained.

"I get it!" Clove screamed and they all went quiet.

She already felt bad about what she did and all these didn't help. She needed to talk to Cato. "Where is he anyway?"

They all suddenly looked confused.

"We hadn't seen him since you two went out to explore," Peeta said looking worried.

"He went here earlier but that was hours ago," Marvel announced. "I hadn't seen him since then."

"Maybe he went out to sulk under a tree or something?" Annie suggested.

"Could be," Finnick agreed.

"His flashlight is gone," Peeta announced as he zipped Cato's bag close apparently having just finished searching it. "He's definitely out."

"He's alone and really depressed," Marvel said loudly, shaking his head and shooting Clove meaningful glances.

Great. Now she had to find Cato and drag him back to the lodge. Really, Cato was way over the line when he took matters in his own hands and said all those things. It was between Johnny and her, and Cato shouldn't have interfered. Was Clove supposed to be happy that Cato made Johnny cry? Johnny was really sensitive. He cried a lot and it was one of those things that kind of irritated her in the past.

"Clo," Katniss began looking concerned, "you may be right that Cato shouldn't have stuck his nose in your business but that's just how he is, especially with you. He definitely didn't deserve getting that treatment from you."

"I know. I was just... carried away I guess, but I'm going to try to make it right," Clove said, certain that the rest of the group heard her as well. She turned to the door and walked towards it, ready to find her employer and bring him back.

The door opened even before Clove reached it. For a moment, Clove held her breath expecting Cato to show up but instead their teacher's bald head appeared.

"Mr. Kirch," Clove muttered.

"Looks like you're all here," he said looking around the room. "Good. I have an announcement to make."

Clove frowned suddenly feeling nervous. "What is it, sir?"

"Well, our hike tomorrow is postponed indefinitely," he told them.

"Oh yeah!" Annie suddenly exclaimed happily. Mr. Kirch stared at her.

"Why? Is there a problem?" Finnick asked ignoring Annie while she did her victory dance in a corner.

"We just talked to the ranger a while ago and apparently, a strong thunderstorm will be coming tonight and will be drowning a big part of the hills with rain starting tonight and until the rest of the afternoon tomorrow. Our campsite will be mudsite by then and I don't want to risk anyone slipping a step and breaking something," he explained wiping some sweat from his forehead.

Clove's insides sank. She looked around and found the group staring back at her wearing horrified expressions. Annie stopped her celebration abruptly.

"We were told that it's really dangerous to go out in that condition so we might find a new campsite. That's if there are even others that won't be reached by the clouds."

Clove remembered seeing those grey clouds earlier today. She quickly walked over to her bag where she had placed the map she and Cato would be sharing for the cancelled hike tomorrow. It was gone.

"Can I borrow your map, Kat?" Clove asked suddenly.

"What? Why?" Katniss asked in return.

"Just give it to me!"

Katniss looked annoyed and a little confused but she brought out her map from her pocket nonetheless. She handed it over to Clove and narrowed her eyes when her cousin said 'fuck' loudly.

"Watch your language Ms. Van Roberts!" the teacher said.

"I'll be right back," Clove announced before grabbing her flashlight and walking past their teacher. She vaguely heard Katniss and the others calling her but she had to go. She quickened her pace and eventually broke into a run, heading for the stairs.

Before she knew it, she was in the lodge's lobby and walking out of its doors. She ran again, trying keep herself calm despite the panic that was slowly eating her up inside. Cato in the woods where a freaking storm was coming soon? Damn!

Outside, the sky was dark with not a star in sight. The wind that was nonexistent when they arrived was now starting to gently blow. Clove brought her flashlight out and turned it on as she entered the first row of trees, mind blank except for one thing.

"Cato!" she called to the darkness as she walked farther and farther away.

* * *

**Cato cried people! CATO FREAKING CRIED! And it's all because of Johnny. Can we all just burn Johnny now? Lol. Clove made a wrong decision, didn't she? If only she didn't let Johnny have that lunch with them, Cato wouldn't be hurt. He wouldn't have cried, he wouldn't be in danger. Pffft. This drama is killing me guys. I can't think of anything to say to all of you right now. But I hope you enjoyed it, and please tell me what you think. I love all of you! :") **

**P.S.**

**I'm writing the next chapter now... Oooohhh... Let's heat things up! :)**


	28. Chapter Twenty Seven

He was soaked.

Cato couldn't remember exactly how long he had been walking. Thirty minutes? An hour? Two? He didn't really care because where he was and the path he was walking was full of nothing but trees, dirt, rocks, and darkness, and he really felt like escaping and the darkness ahead seemed really inviting. He had focused on his steps, making them quick and careful not to step on uneven surfaces and trip. He didn't even realize when this rain started falling until he felt the fingers holding on the flashlight started to go numb.

He took out his map and illuminated it with his flashlight. Right. He turned it sideways and then turned it around. The rain drops were hitting the thin material like little bullets that Cato was so sure the paper will rip any moment. He sighed before folding the map again and putting it inside the pocket of his hoodie.

He really ought to be panicking right now. He had no idea where he was or where the stupid campsite should be. The task seemed so much easier when he was looking at the map earlier but he didn't realize that Chicago rich boys who didn't hike mountains wouldn't be able to recognize the landmarks if they screamed to his face. Basically, he walked in having a mental image of cubes and straight lines only to realize that the forest didn't have any kind of geometric conformity. He flashed the light around and realized that he didn't remember where he came from either.

"It always has to be me," he muttered laughing softly as though everything was a joke.

If he had known that falling in love was a fucked up business, he would have ran at the opposite direction when he first met Clove. He saw the movies and heard stories about it but freaking shit, they're all nothing compared to the real thing. There were no words to describe the hurt he was feeling; it was the most complicated thing. He wanted to rip Johnny in half. Yet he wanted to beat Clove up into a pulp or ask Harry to do it so he could stand by the sideline and watch. He wanted to beat himself up too, for being stupid and helpless and for still feeling freaking in love with Clove despite everything.

He wanted to hate her. He really did and yet it was the most difficult thing to do in the entire world. Cato closed his eyes and felt something warm slide down his cheeks, mixing with the coldness of the rain. He could never hate Clove and it was killing him.

He knew he looked pathetic, standing in the middle of nowhere and crying his eyes out but he even felt more stupid because of what he was feeling. Above anything else, Cato wanted Clove to love him.

He walked to a tree and found himself slumping his back against it. He's an idiot. He'll die here, alone and cold as a lovesick fool who kept on hoping for something that will never happen. Clove and Johnny will probably marry or something while his pathetic corpse was being autopsied, if they ever found him.

There was suddenly pain on his knuckles as he realized he had punched the innocent tree. He stared at the back of his fingers, watched it as the rain washed away the blood. He hugged himself tightly and sat down on the forest floor. A bright thread of light cut across the darkness above him followed by the roaring sound of thunder and the rain poured down even more, drowning his cries and masking his tears.

No, he thought. Even if he did know that falling in love was a fucked up business and that it will utterly destroy him, he wouldn't have change a thing. He would still gladly fall for Clove.

...

Katniss was silently and arguably indiscreetly vaporizing Mr. Kirch with her grey eyes.

"Nothing you say or do will make me change my mind," he told Katniss sternly.

Annie, Peeta, Marvel, and Finnick were all seated at the uncomfortable wooden bench of the teacher's room, watching at the sidelines as Katniss argued with the teacher about following her cousin. They felt exactly the same way but Katniss was voicing their sentiment quite well for all of them so they let her talk.

"She's my cousin! I can't just sit here and do nothing while she's somewhere up there, possibly getting herself killed right at this moment!"

Mr. Kirch flinched and Peeta was amazed at Katniss's ability to make herself intimidating to almost anyone when she's angry. For a moment, it looked like the teacher had caved in, wiping the sweat on the balding spot on his head before adjusting the glasses up the bridge of his nose before he suddenly realized that, oh yeah, he was the teacher.

"It is too dangerous! I understand the concern you're feeling but I simply must refuse. We'll send a rescue unit tomorrow as soon as the sky clears up a bit," he said only to anger Katniss more.

"Tomorrow? I can't wait for tomorrow goddamnit! If you won't let me go out there to find Clove myself, then send someone _now_!" Katniss spat angrily and Annie couldn't believe this was the same person who told her not to bring her consoles because they were not allowed.

"I already talked to the ranger but he said to wait for the sky to clear up!" the teacher answered. "There might be mudslides up there or wild animals. It's too dangerous to send anyone now."

Katniss looked like she was ready to commit murder and Peeta finally decided to step in, putting his hands on the other's shoulders to prevent her from lunging at the teacher.

"Please understand sir," Peeta said before Katniss could interfere. "Cato too is missing and we have a very good reason to believe he's up in the mountain. Clove went to look for him."

Mr. Kirch's face went from sour to pained. "Evans?"

"Yes, sir," Peeta answered.

"Oh God," he said holding his head. "Oh no... I'm going to lose my job."

"You got two kids up there in the storm and all you could think of is your job?" Finnick asked disbelievingly.

Mr. Kirch glared at them but said nothing. He closed his eyes, thinking hard about something before getting up and leaving the room.

"Well I hope he's out to do something," Annie said glaring at the door where Mr. Kirch just stepped out of.

"If you want something done, you have to do it yourself," Marvel said. "If he went out just to get coffee or something, we can always find Cato and Clove ourselves."

...

Clove shivered as the rain continued to soak through her clothes and directly touch her skin. She cursed the wind that blew, making her cold. She forced her fingers to lay out the map again and shine the flashlight on it with a shaking hand. It was difficult to do when the wind kept blowing at the paper and the rain clouding her vision. There was no way she'll find Cato.

"Cato!" she shouted but the pounding of the rain and the sound of thunder was louder than her voice.

Clove breathed deeply and put the map away. She walked aimlessly, directing her flashlight everywhere in the hopes of seeing a glimpse of blonde hair. Nothing.

"Cato!" she called again as he continued walking.

She didn't know where she was anymore. This is great, she thought. She was supposed to be the rescuer but it looked like she too became lost. Cato will probably laugh at her when he finds her but right now, she had to find him first. She'll figure out going back later.

Then again, will Cato even talk to her if she found him? She had done a horrible thing that made her feel ashamed of herself. She wished she didn't do it. If only she could turn back time and undo everything, she would have ran after Cato. No, Clove would have gone back to day one. She would have gone back to when Cato and her were at New Trier, when the other would always get her angry and laugh, and then flirt with her. She would have gone back to one of those moments when Cato explicitly told her that he loved her. Clove would have said she loved him too.

She had faced too much confusion for too long and now she had hurt Cato because of her stupidity. Looking back, she couldn't understand what made her hurt the other like that. Maybe it was suddenly seeing Johnny again. It was being confronted by her past at the worst of times and maybe Clove wasn't ready. But she won't make any excuses and blame it on the circumstances because she knew she had a choice and she made the wrong one. It was the biggest mistake of her life.

Another bolt of lightning tore the night sky, illuminating the surrounding for a fraction of a moment just to disappear and leave Clove alone in the darkness. Somewhere in this darkness was Cato and she was desperate to find him. Her mind was suddenly field with images of Cato walking in this very rain, crying because of her and cursing her at the same time.

"Freaking cold," she muttered as another shiver ran down her spine. She was reminded of that time when Cato's fans sent out a fake request to get Clove into a freeze pool. Cato had saved her, dove in the freezing water for her and she never even properly thanked him.

"I'm sorry!"

Clove could feel the corners of her eyes warm as tears slowly pour out to join the rain. She hastily wiped them with the back of her hands and continued walking, feeling her clothes weigh heavily on her.

"I'm sorry, okay?" she called again. "Cato!"

There was nothing but the endless procession of trees and darkness. Her ears hear nothing but the sound of rain, thunder, and the slight squeaking inside her flooded sneakers whenever she took a step. She desperately wished at that moment that she would hear Cato's voice. She didn't care if the voice would curse her or insult her or say hurtful words.

"Where are you?"

...

Several minutes later, Mr. Kirch came back to them wearing a grave expression. He solemnly sat down on his previous seat and looked around them like he was about to announce something really bad.

"I'm sorry but it's too dangerous. We have to wait till morning or when the sky clears up."

Katniss, Finnick, Annie, and Peeta glared at him while Marvel interjected, "Surprise, surprise."

The teacher then tried to settle down the sudden outburst of violent reactions from the young ones, saying that the rangers will be patrolling the vicinity and search the rest of the area as soon as it is safe but that wasn't good enough, especially to Katniss.

But of course, no matter how much they argue, it's all in vain. They had gotten their hopes up a little when they saw the look of panic on Mr. Evan's face at the mention of Cato's name only to be disappointed. It seemed like no matter how ugly and unreliable Mr. Kirch looked at that moment, he was apparently telling them the truth.

They walked out of his mountain office/bedroom feeling helpless and proceeded to Clove and Cato's room, half expecting to see the two already in there killing each other or having a killer make-out session. No such luck. They entered the empty room silently albeit everyone of them knew what the others were thinking. They spent a good hour planning and packing up, ready to hike up the stormy mountain themselves.

"Now remember," Peeta said looking around the faces that were huddled together in a circle around him wearing determined expressions. "We're going to sneak out after everyone is asleep. We'll meet at the back of the lodge. Bring your maps, flashlights, and raincoats if you have one."

"Understood," Annie said nodding and looking a bit excited. "It's about ten minutes before the bed check. We can go after that."

"I have a first aid kit. I'll bring it as well," Finnick told them.

Peeta nodded approvingly. "That's going to be useful."

"Okay, I agree but what are the chocolate bars for?" Marvel asked motioning towards the three or four packs of candy bars.

"It's been almost four hours. Clove and Cato might be feeling a little hungry and tired by now so we'll have to give them something to eat immediately. The packaging is convenient because they won't get wet," Katniss explained.

"Right," Marvel said nodding deciding not to point out that they could have packed real food. He had a feeling that he'll be the one to be asked to sneak food from the now closed kitchen.

Peeta looked around Clove and Cato's room looking for something else that they may bring. It was a hard task considering the weather outside. Anything that wasn't plastic or wasn't in a plastic bag would certainly get wet. Bringing bulky umbrellas would be useless and inconvenient; snorkels and goggles would do much better though.

"It's almost time. I think we need to go back to our rooms before the bed check," Finnick said after checking his watch.

They nodded and quietly exited the room.

...

Okay. He was feeling depressed and maybe a little suicidal but the cold was getting too freaking annoying.

Cato had lost track of how many hours he had been walking (and sulking) and how many turns he had made since he decided to leave that tree and continue to go on deeper into the woods. A few minutes ago, he had thought of just going back after seeing a very promising body of some dead animal, decaying in the middle of a clearing. He turned around and walked in the opposite direction, mind set on going back but then he remembered Clove and that... boy, and Cato decided whatever was there behind the trees was better than seeing those two together. Just thinking about them made him feel sick.

So he walked aimlessly again, not bothering to consult the map anymore. It would be pointless to do so seeing as he was lost, whether he wanted to be or not. It just so happened that he didn't want to be found so this being lost things was kind of a good thing. Except maybe if accidentally crossed paths with whatever it was that killed that animal he saw earlier.

Cato could feel the water putting pressure in the spaces within the insides of his chucks with each step while his clothes clung to him like a second skin. His flashlight did almost nothing to illuminate his dark surroundings but it was all good. He never had this kind of opportunity before, to walk on unpaved grounds and lightless paths filled with trees. He just didn't imagine that he would do it in the pouring rain in the middle of the night to forget a certain someone.

Harry was probably going nuts by now if he knew. Cato laughed a little while imagining the tough face of his security guy contort in worry while frantically looking for him. Let's see him find me here, Cato thought slyly.

He was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard a sudden noise somewhere behind the bushes. Cato quickly looked around, shining the light among the bushes. He saw nothing so he nervously turned to the other side to look there instead. Nothing. There were only trees and leaves lightly vibrating as the raindrops fell on them, and the darkness beyond the space that his flashlight was unable to reach.

He didn't know which direction he heard the noise from anymore and he was beginning to think he had just imagined it. The image of the dead body was on his mind again and Cato decided that it was time he moved.

His breathing was suddenly fast and labored as he swiftly ran to nowhere in particular, feeling the need to be moving than be a stationary target. If he was going to be hunted, he didn't want to be easy. He didn't dare to look back, keeping his eyes set on the path ahead. His arms were raised a little to shield his face from the thin branches hanging lowly from trees. He could feel them scratching the arms of his hoodie as he went.

He reached a clearing and he took a moment to pause and catch his breath. He closed eyes trying to in as much oxygen as he can and noticed that the air had become thinner. He shivered a little from the cold. He chanced a glance back and was relieved that nothing was following him. Maybe this whole get lost idea wasn't that good after all.

Too late. Cato sharply turned his attention to a loud brushing noise to his right. His feet automatically moved, running towards his left and not even sparing a second to see what made the noise.

"Oh great," he muttered while running and realized that he was climbing a slope. His legs ached with every step while his lungs scream in pain with every breath. He contemplated whether he should just turn his flash light off. Maybe the thing was being attracted by the light?

Cato mentally kicked himself. He was getting paranoid and weird ideas were popping out of his head. He was slowly becoming tired and whether or not there was something following him, he knew that there was a definite possibility that he'll meet another one along the way.

The rain continued pouring and the lightning gave him brief seconds of light. He stopped and walked towards the nearest tree and immediately leaned against it. He was catching his breath while keeping his eyes and ears open for any signs of anything coming.

"This is all your fault, Van Roberts!" he muttered under his breath.

He scanned the area again, hoping to find a nice dry place for a change but there was nothing. He turned to the direction of the slope that was going upward. Maybe he would see something if he reached the top.

He took a deep breath and slowly made his way up again. Cato was sure that if he had enough light to see it, he'll see smoke coming out of his nose. It was really cold but he couldn't hug himself. He needed his arms to maintain his balance.

When he finally did reach the top, Cato's face fell at seeing the familiar sight of trees and darkness, only the ground was at a less steeper angle. Right then, his knees decided they had enough hiking for tonight and gave, landing Cato gracefully on his ass with a spatter of muddy water.

Just freaking fantastic, he thought sarcastically. Maybe this was why he never bothered to play the good guy. The good guy who gives up his own happiness for the happiness of the one he loves never gets anything in return. He always ends up alone and miserable, spending the rest of his life thinking of what if's and dreaming his life away. He would watch his loved one live his days with the evil son of a gun from hell from the sidelines and cry himself to sleep at night feeling monstrously jealous and yet oddly satisfied at the same time because the one he loves is happy. Pathetic.

Cato gazed upward, letting his face get hit by the rain. Would he be able to do that? Can he play the good guy and make himself believe for the rest of his life that he was happy as long as Clove was happy? All of a sudden, the idea of dying here on the mountain was looking good. There was no way he could let boy take Clove away from him, at least not now but maybe, he'll learn to do it soon enough.

"Damn it," he muttered. "Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it..."

A bright light that Cato was sure didn't come from the lightning was suddenly blinding his vision. He raised his arms up in reflex to shield his eyes.

"Cato?"

Oh God. He had gone crazy.

"It is you!"

The figure who was holding the flashlight ran slowly towards him and Cato decided he should turn on his too. He pressed the small button and his heart almost fell off when he saw Clove's small, thin frame coming towards him. He watched mesmerized by the scene before him, thinking if it was real or an extremely realistic product of his imagination.

"Oh god," Clove muttered breathily when she reached him, relief crawling over her features.

"Clove," he managed to say. "What are you doing here?"

Even at this light, Cato didn't miss the eye-roll. His gaze traveled downward from Clove's face to his feet. Like him, Clove was soaked all over. There were huge patches of mud on her shirt, hoodie, and jeans mingled with holes and rips. There were scratches on her cheeks too.

"I'm sight-seeing."

"What happened to your face?" Cato asked.

Clove's hands automatically went up to touch the scratches on the side of her face. "Nothing. You should see your face too. You look worse."

Cato watched her stare at the mud of her shoes looking like she wanted to say something and hesitating. He felt himself wanting to smile but he stopped himself. "I'm on my way to the campsite. You can tell the others that," he said before standing up and starting to walk.

"Wait!" Clove said.

The anger and hurt that he had felt earlier when Clove hit him was suddenly back. "What?" he asked dangerously.

Clove flinched at his voice. "There's a storm coming. We should go back."

Cato huffed. "Leave me the heck alone, Van Roberts. Go back to your boyfriend and just get married or something. I'll send you roses."

"What? No!" Clove muttered trailing behind him. "Can you just stop and listen to me?"

Cato ignored her and continued walking. "Piss off."

"Cato wait!"

As if. Cato pretended not to hear. He went on farther and farther in the quickest pace he could. He could hear Clove's voice straining over the sound of the rain to make herself heard. The more he walked, the farther Clove's voice sounded. He was trying to make himself the good guy dammit and Clove wasn't making it easy!

Cato chanced a glance back. It was only then that he noticed that Clove wasn't walking but limping. He didn't need to think twice before he was walking back.

"You idiot!" he shouted at Clove as he approached her.

Clove was taken aback by his statement but only for a moment. She breathed deeply and faced him as if readying herself for the hurtful words to be thrown at her face.

"Cato, listen I'm—s"

"What the hell have you done with your self?" Cato cut in pointing a finger at her foot.

Clove looked a bit confused and followed Cato's finger. "Oh. I slipped but... yeah. Don't mind that. I could barely feel it really."

"Really?" Cato asked disbelievingly.

"Yes," Clove answered confidently before her features softened again and Cato's heart leaped with hope. "I'm sorry."

Clove was staring at him and he had to look away to stop himself from putting his arms around her. "Go on," he said instead.

"I'm sorry I hit you earlier. You didn't deserve that. I'm sorry for bringing Johnny to our table. I'm sorry for hurting you and being inconsiderate. I was a jerk, stupid, and..." Clove went on, thinking of more insults to throw at herself.

"And a douche," Cato supplied helpfully.

Surprisingly, Clove didn't argue. She just nodded. "Yeah, and a douche."

They were both silent, just the endless sound of the rain filling it. Clove adjusted her position and Cato suspected that she was in pain. If she was, she was hiding it really well.

"You've said what you want," Cato told her.

"I... sort of made a speech," Clove muttered uncertainly, avoiding his eyes. "You know, to tell you, but I... can't remember it right now."

"Too bad," Cato said indifferently. "You can go back now."

Clove stared at him but didn't move. "You know I won't."

"Yeah, so?"

"Hit me."

Cato stared at Clove like she had lost it. "I'm not going to hit you."

"Yes, you will," she said and took his hand. Clove raised it to the level of her face before letting go and closing her eyes.

"I'm not going to hit you!" Cato repeated putting his hand down.

"Then what can I do to for you to forgive me?" Clove asked desperately with a pleading voice that broke Cato's heart.

"You can go back to the lodge and leave me the hell alone!" he forced himself to say. "It's okay. I get it now. I don't care anymore... I, uh, I'll deal with it."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Clove asked confused.

"You feel sorry for me but you don't have to. Go away," Cato said. He will not cry again.

"I don't feel sorry for you!" Clove said limping a step closer.

"You don't have to feel obligated," Cato said stubbornly. "I am still your employer and right now, I'm ordering you to get back to wherever the hell you came from and leave me alone!"

"I am not leaving," Clove told him simply. "I have pushed you away for too long."

Cato's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

"Well, aside from the contract saying that I have to come to you during life-threatening situations," Clove began and Cato rolled his eyes, "I... I think I might have fallen for you."

"Do you know what you're saying?" Cato asked her while trying to contain the happiness that was threatening to explode inside him.

"I'm ready," Clove told him seriously. "If you'll still have me then I'm ready to be with you."

...

There, she said it.

Clove watched Cato nervously as he stared at her with wide eyes. She held her breath waiting for a response.

"You don't what you're saying," Cato said sadly.

What? "Of course I do!" Clove argued.

"No, you don't," Cato told her again. "You're confused. You just saw Johnny and now you want to know whether you like still like him or not. I don't know, but I'm sure you're not ready."

How can Cato say that? It took every fiber of courage for Clove to say how she felt and Cato was waving it aside like she was delusional. "This is not about him. I know that now."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"I don't know Clo. It's kind of hard to believe after you've just freaking hit me for him," Cato said.

Clove closed her eyes and tears fell. "That was a mistake! I wasn't thinking clearly but I—"

"Exactly my point," Cato cut in.

"No!" Clove protested. "Cato, I admit that I've been confused, so confused in fact that I thought I was going to lose my head! But things have never been any clearer than they are now. What do you want me to do to prove to you that I'm saying the truth?"

Cato bit his lip. "You'll do anything?"

"Anything," Clove said firmly.

Cato stared at the determined expression of Clove's face then at the limping foot. "Jump," he told her pointing towards the direction of the slope they've just climbed.

Clove followed his finger and flashed her light at the descending trees. She turned to him again. "You want me to jump in there."

"Yes," Cato said almost cruelly.

Clove nodded. She turned towards the direction of the slope and then made her way towards it. She winced as pain shot up her leg everytime her weight got briefly placed on her right foot but she ignored it.

Cato watched astounded. Clove didn't even question him. She just freaking limped her way over there without a word! He wanted to stop her but Cato stopped himself. He wanted to know how far Clove would go.

Clove reached the edge of the slope. She took one last glance at Cato before closing her eyes.

"Oh no," Cato muttered before breaking into a run towards Clove. "Clove wait! No!"

It was too late. Clove had already leapt. Cato didn't know what to do so he did the only thing he could think of. He jumped too.

...

_"I cannot go back."_

_Johnny stared at her confused. "What?"_

_They were standing outside Johnny's room. Clove had walked him back from the cafeteria after Cato's outburst._

_"I can't go back to you," Clove said._

_He stared at her stunned, not even realizing that tears were already running down his face. "You don't want to us to get back together?"_

_"I'm sorry."_

_"No," he told her shaking his head while wiping his tears away. "Don't say that."_

_"I have to," she said sadly. She hated being the one to have to make him cry but she needed to be fair with him, especially to Cato._

_His shoulders were shaking and Clove went to him and embraced him. Even with her embrace, he could tell that it wasn't the same anymore. She changed._

_"Why?"_

_Johnny waited but Clove didn't answer. He pulled away from her to stare into her eyes. "You met someone, didn't you?"_

_"I did."_

_It was really painful but he found himself nodding. "Does he know?"_

_The smile that crept in Clove's face told him that she indeed belonged to another now. "I don't know. I haven't said anything yet but I'm planning to set things straight soon."_

_"You're breaking my heart, Clo. Can't you give me another chance?"_

_"You had me Johnny. I loved you so much that it hurts. I was willing to give up everything. Just for you. But what did you do? You just threw it all away…"_

"_Is that what you really think Clove? I just made a choice." _

"_Yeah… And you chose to break my heart."_

"_I'm sorry..."_

_He hugged her again and they stayed like that for a long time. He could do nothing now. He regretted ever letting her go but maybe it was what's supposed to happen. He could only go revisit the memories they had together in his mind knowing that soon, Clove would be making more of them but with another. This was the end._

"_Goodbye Johnny."  
_

_..._

He met Clove's body in midair and he tightly wrapped his arms around her. Cato closed his eyes waiting for the impact. It didn't come. Clove hit the ground first and he heard the other groan in pain before they roll down the slope like a log. He felt Clove's hands tightly holding on to him.

The mud was all over their body now as they quickly go down, their backs alternately hitting the uneven surface of the slope. Cato felt dizzy and when he tried to open his eyes, he immediately regretted it when he saw the lightning-torn sky mixed with the muddy ground in hazy blurs. Before he knew it, a sharp pain shot the side of his back and he was facing the sky. He had hit a tree.

It took them several minutes to recollect their bearings. Clove detached herself from Cato slowly, groaning in pain. She managed to stand on all force and looked at Cato.

"Oh god, Cato!" Clove said crawling closer to him and ignoring the angry pain on her leg. She tried to move him but stopped as soon as Cato hissed in pain. "Jesus, are you okay?"

"Marvel was right," Cato told her. "You really are going to be the death of me someday. Why the heck did you jump?"

"You told me to jump!" Clove muttered.

"What the hell?" Cato said. "So if I told you to suck me off in public, you will?"

"Don't get your hopes up too much."

"But I thought we're—"

"You've hurt your back," Clove interrupted him. "Don't move. I'm going to check if you broke something."

"Right," Cato muttered ignoring the bluntness in Clove's statement.

He kept his body still as possible as Clove leaned towards his back. Cato felt a light touch on his lower back inside his shirt then it went up, carefully treading a line on his spine.

"It seems like your spine is intact," Clove told him.

"What? You're a doctor now?"

"I've trained a little on first aid. It was given for free at a hospital in Ireland," he said. "I think it's your ribs that hit the tree. I'm going to roll your shirt up to see."

"Pervert," Cato joked. He was suddenly in pain as he felt Clove touch his side.

"Sorry," Clove muttered.

"You did that on purpose!"

"Shut up," Clove told him and this time, the shirt was moved without pain.

"You seriously have to work on your people skills, Van Roberts."

Clove rolled her eyes but ignored the comment. She groped around searching for the flashlight on the ground and directed it on Cato's back. There was a huge dark bluish mark the size of her palm on the pale skin. "You've hit it pretty hard."

"You think?" Cato asked sarcastically.

Clove felt the skin around the bruise. "I don't think anything's broken but I can't be sure. You have to go through x-ray. In any case, I don't think there's any more concern if you could still make those remarks."

Cato laughed lightly. He just rolled down a slope full of mud and hit a tree and now his side hurt like hell but he never felt happier. He wrapped his free arm around Clove's waist. "I believe you now."

The smile on her face was such an understatement for what Clove felt. She settled beside Cato in a sitting position and held the arm around her waist. "You better."

The warmth of Clove's body felt really nice against the still pouring rain. Cato felt tired and drained but right now, he was certain there was no one in this world that was happier than him. "Can you say it?"

"Hnm?"

"I want to hear it," Cato said.

"I told Johnny I love someone else," Clove said.

He huffed. "As if I care about him. Stop fooling around. I'm serious."

Clove laughed. "Sorry."

Cato nodded. "Okay, now say it."

Clove smiled down at him. Cato wished they were somewhere else that had enough light so that he could see every inch of Clove's face and preserve this moment in his memory forever.

"I love you."

Cato smiled widely. "I love you more."

Clove leaned down on his face and put their foreheads together. "That's not possible."

In one swift motion, Cato had freed Clove's waist only to put his hand at her nape and pull her down for their first real kiss.

* * *

**Because of you wonderful reviews, here's a treat for you guys! Am I the only one who's happy that Cato and Clove is now together? Hahaha. I know I'm not! i hope you liked this chapter! I know you've waited long enough for this to happen. And here it is! Hahaha. I hope I didn't disappoint :) Reviews are highly appreciated! :D**


	29. Chapter Twenty Eight

**Hey guys! I'm really really really sorry for not updating this fic as fast as I usually do. School's being a bitch to me so I find it hard to actually write properly. This chapter might seem a little bit off. I don't think it's a great chapter, but yeah. I think it's a stepping stone for this fic. Filler chapters are always good for the character development. Heehee. So yeah, I hope you enjoy! :)**

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His back and side were feeling better but his shoulder was slowly losing sensation. It didn't help that the weather just seemed to get even worse, if that was possible, adding a stronger wind to the pouring rain. He had never seen so much water in his life, except maybe for the Pacific Ocean or the Nile but those were bodies of water. There was water everywhere he looked, the sky, the ground, the air, on Clove, on him. Every inch of his body felt cold as the wind battered their wet bodies except for a small spot on his shoulder where Clove was holding on to him while they walked, or in Clove's case, limp. She told him she can walk on her own but he insisted that she hold on to his shoulder. He can never be sure.

Cato momentarily paused, making Clove stare at him questioningly while he stared at the dark sky above them with a slight frown. Clove adjusted her weight on her better foot so that she won't put any pressure on the other one that seemed sprained and at the same time, give Cato's shoulder a break. At this small movement though, Cato immediately withdrew his gaze from the dark sky being occasionally lit up by lightning to help Clove needlessly, putting his hand on one of Clove's arms and on her back to assist her.

And then everything was just warm and dry, at least figuratively. Clove wasn't used to this kind of attention, especially from Cato but she did not say anything and just let the other do as he pleased. It wasn't awkward. It was more of a feeling you get when you receive something that you've been dying to have so suddenly and you don't know what to do. The hand on her arm and the one on her back felt oddly familiar, like Clove has known them for years and it brought a sense of comfort in her even though she was in the middle of nowhere, utterly cold and a lot of other things that she really didn't feel like worrying about nor did she think she care. It didn't really matter.

"Maybe it's global warming," Cato said.

Clove smiled a little at him even though she knew that the light from the electric torches they were holding was not enough to let Cato see her. Not even global warming concerned her at this moment. "This rain?"

"Yes," Cato answered and Clove could feel his smile.

"How did you even know that this rain is not normal?" she asked. "For all you know, this kind of weather is common to Black Hills."

Cato laughed but did not immediately respond. A giant tree was on their path with its thick roots sticking out from the mud and soil of the ground. He took the hand that was on his shoulder and placed it around on his shoulders firmly before circling his other arm on Clove's waist.

Clove jumped a little at this but tried to relax. Cato's actions were sure and confident as he secured the other's balance against his own before taking the first step forward and leading Clove to follow him.

"It's impossible to have this much rain for this long," he told Clove as they continued walking, carefully avoiding the roots. He was glad it was dark because Clove couldn't see how wide his smile was, which was kind of embarrassing, really. "Anyway, we have to find our way back, or at least find a dry place. We're both soaked and if we're lucky, hypothermia will be the least of our worries."

Clove nodded. "I'm not familiar with the kind of animals that live here but I'm guessing that some of them might be interested in two high school students. I saw a dead body of some animal earlier while I'm looking for you."

"I think I saw that too," Cato said.

They managed to walk pass the tree without tripping but Clove thought it was the least of their worries. "I don't think we can find a dry place anywhere unless we find our way back to the lodge though."

"Ever the optimist," Cato said.

"Just being realistic," she told him.

"Right," Cato said. "How does your foot feel?"

Clove paused, trying to feel her foot. It was a difficult task with all the cold water running down her body making her feel a little experimentally placed a little weight on it and immediately regretted it as a sharp pain shot up from her ankle.

"I'm guessing bad," Cato said while Clove hissed. "I can't believe you walked around this place with that foot."

"Well maybe I wouldn't have done so if someone didn't run up the hills in the middle of the night," Clove retorted monotonously.

Cato laughed loudly. "You are so in love with me Van Roberts," he said and Clove could feel the other shaking his head like she was a hopeless case.

It was Clove's turn to laugh. "I'm not saying it again."

Cato suddenly stared at her, directing his flashlight on Clove's face. "Yeah? Well I don't care. You already said it so you can't take it back, you hear? Never."

Clove laughed again. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," Cato answered firmly, almost worriedly and Clove suddenly felt like a jerk.

"Don't worry Evans, I never take back anything I say," she assured him with a joking tone though she meant every word.

Clove was surprised when Cato suddenly held the side of her face and kissed her swiftly on the lips. "Good because I won't listen to you anyway even if you did and I'll probably torture you until I force you into some kind of submission."

Clove just rolled her eyes unaware of how serious Cato was when he said it.

Another thread of lightning illuminated the sky for a split second followed by the loud sound of thunder. The couple continued to walk in the rain without talking, aimlessly wandering in the hopes of getting somewhere. Anywhere.

Cato found the situation ironic. He was planning to get lost and drown in misery just hours ago until his night did a full one-eighty and now he was at the same hill, managed to get lost and cold and hungry like he planned, but felt like he was the happiest person on earth. Who would have guessed? But as much as he was happy, he was also beginning to worry about Clove. Forget that both of them might be in for the worst fever of their lives after this. Something was wrong with Clove's foot and it bothered the hell out of him. He can't help but feel protective of her. Then again if he was given the chance, he wouldn't change a thing about this night.

With every tree they pass and every clearing they reach, he flashed his light around desperately hoping that a miracle would happen and somehow, a big signboard with an arrow pointing to the direction of the lodge would appear out of nowhere. There was nothing but darkness and vegetation though it felt like they've been walking for days, it's getting sickening. He was getting a little hungry too and he knew he wasn't the only one. Cato tried to hold on to the happy feeling of being with Clove so that panic would not take over him.

"I feel tired," Clove suddenly announced.

He turned to her and his stomach sank at the sight of her tired face. Even with the lack of enough light, he could tell Clove was pale. Her eyes were slightly narrowed and Cato instinctively cast a look on her foot.

"I'm sorry," Clove muttered sincerely. "I just need to catch my breath. I bet you feel tired too."

Of course he was tired. He had half his mind convinced to go to the gym to build up more stamina already and maybe some wilderness survival classes too. He sighed. "Does it really hurt that bad?"

Clove shrugged. "A little. Nothing I can't take though."

Cato was prepared to bet everything he owned that Clove was just feigning confidence and was lying about her foot. He had to admit the other did it well but for some reason, it didn't work on him. He led Clove to one of the trees and let her lean against it before letting himself slump down in exhaustion.

"We'll be alright."

Cato looked up from the ground at Clove who remained standing. "What? You think I'm worried or something?"

"You look like you're going to cry," Clove said.

Cato huffed. "Yeah right."

Another lightning. Something really big appeared from the darkness that caught his eye. For a moment, Cato thought his head was beginning to play tricks on him so he quickly stood up and flashed his torch towards the direction of the path behind Clove and sure enough, it was there. He blinked once, then twice and it was still there.

"Clove," he said.

Clove stared at him with an expression of worry. "What?"

"I think I see a house."

...

"Jesus Christ!" Annie exclaimed as they stepped out from the back door of the lodge earning her scandalized looks and 'ssshhhhh' from the rest of the group.

"We snuck out for a reason, Annie and that reason is we don't want anyone to know that we're going!" Katniss muttered in the loudest voice she could manage in a whisper while Annie flinched.

"Sorry," Annie said. "But look at that! That is not rain, that's a tornado that has sucked up, I don't know, the Nile River or something!"

Annie was pointing at the general direction of the woods that was under attack by the most brutal rain any of the them had ever seen in real life. They were all frozen on the spot upon stepping out of the door, only to be snapped out of it by Katniss's voice. Apparently, not even a hurricane will stop her from finding her cousin.

"All the more reason for us to go out there and bring Clove and Cato back," she said while Peeta nodded in agreement.

Annie shrugged. "Don't get me wrong. I'm all for this rescue mission. I just didn't expect that it is this bad."

As if on cue, a very strong gust of wind blew making the big branched of the trees beat violently against each other. Finnick and Annie exchanged looks.

"Good," Katniss said, straining her voice over the loud sounds.

"Oh yeah, this will be fun," Marvel commented and no one could tell if he was being sarcastic.

"Come on. Let's go to that side," Katniss announced pointing towards her right.

They all nodded and trailed behind Katniss as she stalked her way to the side of the lodge without windows but still being partially shielded by the roof. Their shoes squished against the watery mud as they hastily ran with their arms over their heads. The hoods of their hoodies were obviously going to be useless and they decided earlier that umbrellas would be more of a hindrance than help.

They stood side by side in a row, trying to press themselves flat to the wall as much as possible so that the rain won't reach them.

"Recap," Peeta said loudly to compete with the sound of the rain and thunder while his hair was being battered by the wind. "No one is to leave the group but if the situation makes it inevitable, we stick to our buddies."

"What about me?" Marvel asked. "I can't drag Thresh out of bed. He's wasted!"

Peeta rubbed his chin and then smiled. "Then you can go with Annie and Finnick."

Annie groaned in protest while Finnick shrugged indifferently. Marvel smirked at Annie.

"We have our maps, lights, supplies. Any more questions?" Peeta asked looking at them.

"Can we like burry Evans and Van Roberts alive after this?" Marvel asked seriously.

"Sure thing," Peeta said.

Without another word, the group set out to leave the safety of the lodge and walked towards the trees that towered it. Barely a minute under the rain and they were already soaked and shivering. It's going to be a long night.

...

It was more of a shack than a house but inside was dry and it kept the wind out. Clove and Cato slowly stepped in the wooden structure, the floor board creaking under their combined weight while they let their flashlights survey the small dank area.

"Hello?" they called but no one answered.

The house was small, barely bigger than Uncle Frank's crammed garage. Inside were a few old-looking chairs and a table made of wood where small bits of twigs and dried leaves were scattered all over. The walls were damp and smelled of old wood that faintly reminded both of them of the stock room at their school's library. They exchanged looks before completely entering the house in an unspoken agreement of doing so and equally feeling like they were trespassing.

Cato walked the other towards the chairs and table, making sure Clove's injured foot didn't do much work. Clove held on to the table when they reached it while Cato checked if the chairs can still be used.

"Sit here," Cato told her after making sure that the chair wouldn't crumble into pieces if sat on. Clove gratefully complied.

"I think this house was abandoned not a very long time ago," Clove said flashing her light on the wooden cupboard where several jars of unidentifiable things were placed.

There were high cabinets on the walls of what looked like the kitchen area of the house while a smooth wooden counter rested silently collecting dust. A small fireplace was near the dining table with small pieces of firewood intermingled with ashes and leaves.

Clove examined the room more from her seat. Her eyes searched for photos, curtains, or anything that suggested a person was in the house but she couldn't find any imprint of personal touch of the former occupant though the ashes, jars, and other small things strongly marked the place with humanity that was almost sad in way, but also something else that she failed to put into words. It was like the house had a story, like everything else, hidden.

"This is great," Cato said smiling happily and feeling a little giddy. He walked around the area inspecting the cracks on the wooden walls and the dusty cabinets of the kitchen when he saw a door. He walked towards it excitedly and knocked at it a few times, not expecting a response, before turning the rusty but still functioning knob.

The hinges squeaked as he pushed it open to reveal the room behind it and Cato smiled as he illuminated the room with his flashlight. Inside was a wooden bed being hit by the faint light of lightning outside through a closed glass window. He walked in and the floor was as creaky as the rest of the house but the bed has a thin mattress on it that was surprisingly free from dried leaves and twigs. The closed door and window must have preserved it, Cato thought. This was great. Clove can rest here.

He inspected the corners with his electric light and testily sat on the bed. It creaked a little under his weight but he decided it was perfectly okay to be used. He stood and hastily brushed off the thin cover of dust on it, creating an invisible cloud. Cato covered the lower half of his face with the neck of his shirt and continued attacking the mattress until he was satisfied.

"Clove," Cato called as he walked back to what he assumed was the house's dining area where he left Clove.

Clove was seated on the chair, one leg extended. She turned to Cato. "You found something?"

Cato nodded. "First off, this house is completely abandoned and second, the room is semi-clean so I think we can rest here."

He walked towards her and helped her up to her feet. "Come on. You can sleep in there, there's a bed."

He assisted her into the room until they reached the bed. She plopped down, giving in to exhaustion while Cato looked at her pointedly. "What?" she asked.

Cato shook his head before slipping his hoodie off. "I'm taking my clothes off to get them dry. I think you should do the same."

Clove blinked before looking down at her completely soaked clothes. Cato had already proceeded to removing his shirt so she shrugged before she too slipped her hoodie off. She hesitated a little before finally deciding to take her shirt off (though the bra will stay of course). After all, Cato already saw her body so, there's nothing much to worry about. Cato grabbed her discarded clothes.

"I'll hang them somewhere to dry," he explained before exiting the room and leaving Clove alone.

It was very fortunate that this house was here. Clove thought it wouldn't take much longer before Cato and her were down on the forest floor dying from the cold or maybe drowning. She imagined the teachers were probably on their toes right now, knowing that the son of the wealthiest man in Chicago was lost somewhere in the hills. A rescue team should be looking for them at the very least.

She looked up when Cato entered the room again, wearing just boxers and she gulped.

"Oh boy," Clove whispered to herself turning to the wall and then to the floor. She could hear the other walking around the room and moving things but Clove didn't dare lift her gaze up.

Cato and her were now a couple, they made that quite clear a while ago, but like all the protectiveness and the attention, Clove wasn't used to seeing Cato with so little clothes too. Clove felt unexplainably anxious it was ridiculous.

"I'll make a fire. It's really cold," Clove announced hastily before standing up and hiding the pain she felt as she did.

Cato raised an eyebrow. "What do you think you're doing?"

He quickly walked towards Clove and placed his hands on the bare arms to gently push the other back down on the bed.

"I can do it," Clove said trying to get up again and brushing Cato's hands away.

"Don't be ridiculous," he told her pushing her down in return.

Truthfully, Clove felt cold but more than feeling cold, she also felt really uneasy and tensed. Cato's presence was making her nervous in a way that she never felt before which scared the shit out of her so she'd rather be making fire with a sprained ankle than stay in the same room with him. Cato however, seemed unaffected.

"I'll do it," Cato said before straightening and grabbing his flashlight. He swiftly brushed back the hair that was resting on Clove's forehead and gave her a quick kiss before going out of the room.

Clove sighed in relief as she heard the door close knowing that she was once again alone in the room. She shivered slightly and wrapped her arms around herself.

...

Seriously, he should get an Oscar or something.

Cato sighed deeply and muttered a soft 'shit' after he closed the door behind him. Why did he suggest taking their shirt off? Cato wanted to kick himself for saying things without thinking but yeah, Clove's clothes were wet right? It's only logical to make her take them off for her own good.

Except that maybe seeing Clove half-naked again brought back certain memories and certain urges that Cato didn't really want to attend to right now and maybe, that idea wasn't the best for Clove after all. It took his everything to act all cool and collected in front of her when inside, he wanted nothing more than to jump at her and pin her on the old creaky bed and just... okay.

"No," Cato loudly scolded himself.

Clove was injured and Cato himself wasn't in the best physical condition. Besides, Clove had just confessed to him. It was the most wonderful thing that had happened since forever, probably just second to the day they first met and Cato Evans was hit by a flying bullet train.

Now he was starting something that could be really beautiful with her and the last thing he wanted to do was mess up like he did initially with some stupid stunt of horniness that would scare Clove away. Clove was obviously feeling nervous around him earlier when he entered the room with only his boxers on. He purposefully entered the room in that attire just so he could see Clove's reaction and apparently, she still needed a little time to open up more and get used to their new relationship.

He breathed again, telling himself repeatedly that he needed to give Clove some space and a chance to adjust, take a moment to take everything in. This was new to her, Cato reminded himself.

Maybe he should just tell Clove to put her shirt back on? Now that was stupid. His dirty mind was attaching dirty ideas to innocent situations such as this. He gulped. He just had to restrain himself while Clove dries, that's all. Cato groaned. Sounds painful.

...

"This is impossible," Marvel lowly muttered, shivering as he trailed behind the group while trying to ignore the chattering of his teeth.

Annie who was walking in front of him turned to her. "Don't let Katniss hear you or you'll regret it."

Marvel huffed, swallowing another whine that was threatening to escape from his big mouth.

Meanwhile in front of the group was Katniss wearing a very determined expression while furiously directing her flashlight in every direction. Peeta was not far behind her, also worried as hell though his face looked more relaxed.

"We've walked for about thirty minutes north to the direction of the site," Finnick shouted as they continued their hike. He checked his compass again before safely tucking it in his pocket. "We should be arriving at the first landmark."

Katniss paused upon hearing about the landmark and they could tell she was using every fiber of her being to make her vision waterproof and night-compatible. "It's the big 'x' mark on a tree, right?"

"Yes," Finnick answered. "Though I don't think we'll be able to find it easily under this weather."

"Let's spread out," Peeta suggested and Marvel didn't bother making his complaints undetected.

...

The fire cackled merrily, casting eerie shadows on the wooden walls of the room with its warm orange glow.

It took Cato forever to make the fire even with the matches he found in one of the kitchen cabinets because of the dampness of the logs. He was still lucky though because he did manage to get the fire to start at the small fireplace in the bedroom.

He was seated on the floor in front of the fire with his hands extended towards the warmth while Clove was on the bed. There was about a meter between the fireplace and the wooden bed. Both occupants of the room were silent and contentedly resting as the heat radiated to their exhausted bodies. Cato looked back to see Clove lying at her side almost at the edge of the bed facing the fire. He stood, straightened his boxers and walked the couple of steps that separated him from the bed.

Clove looked up at him. "Cato?"

He just smiled and decided to seat on the floor beside the bed and rested his back against it. He rested the side of his head on the mattress while his hand searched for Clove's. When he found it, he entwined their fingers together and gently pulled Clove's hand to his lips.

"Are you still cold?" he asked.

Clove pulled her hand back still holding Cato's and pressed it against her cheek. "A little but I'm fine. You?"

Cato smiled. "I'm really cold." He proceeded to pout his lips a little and gently stroked the side of Clove's face while the other rolled her eyes.

"Is that right?" Clove asked.

"I think I'll die if I don't get warmth soon," Cato said seriously. "You won't like that."

"Of course," Clove said nodding slightly.

"Ssooo..."

"So."

Cato glared at her quickly before suddenly climbing on the bed behind Clove, lying down facing the other's back and putting his arms around her waist. Clove slightly stiffened as she felt Cato's bare chest against her equally bare back.

"Hey, don't worry," Cato said against Clove's nape. "We're just cuddling. I'm not going to... you know, we're not going to—f"

"I know," Clove said softly. She closed her eyes and tried to relax while Cato lightly bit her nape. "Stop that."

"Sorry but," Cato said quickly "this is just pure torture. It's really... freaking hard not to..."

Clove snorted. "You just told me you won't."

Cato groaned. "You are one cruel woman, Clove Van Roberts."

Now he was beginning to see the downside of finally getting Clove to be his girlfriend. Cato's arm around Clove's waist was itching to explore but Clove made it clear that he shouldn't. It had been awhile since he got any and holy shit, Clove against him was like the marshmallow on a plate, and with him being the boy who got some serious instant gratification impulse control. And oh god, this seemed so much easier when he was outside the room. "Tease."

"And you are one obedient boy," Clove said monotonously slightly tapping Cato's arm. She then started shifting in her place to turn and face the other. It was a little hard to do since her foot still hurt and Cato was pressed against her back quite closely but she managed.

Clove laughed a little when she saw the other's face. Cato looked like a little kid who had been deprived of candy, a face so different from his usual almighty jerk.

"But you're too cute and understanding that's why I trust you," Clove told him and Cato couldn't help but grin.

"Yeah, yeah but just say the word, Clo, in case you change your mind. I'd be more than happy to—"

"Get some sleep, Cato," Clove cut him off. "We both need it."

Before he knew it, he was obediently closing his eyes and at that moment, he knew Clove was right. Indeed, Cato was tired. He had been hiking in the rain for God knows how long and now that Clove mentioned it, his eyelids were suddenly feeling treacherously heavy. He involuntarily yawned and proceeded to stretch. He could feel Clove's breath against his cheek and sighed contentedly.

Never had he imagined a person with so much power over him, it almost scared Cato. This was far from anything he ever had but then again, did he plan to fall in love? He smiled again and pulled Clove's warm body against him even more.

"I love you," he muttered sleepily.

"I love you too..."

...

Finnick felt stupid. He looked around and watched as the rest of the group groped around the darkness for the 'X' that they've been busily looking for.

Visibility was almost nonexistent as they could barely move around in the darkness without running straight into a tree. The rain hadn't stopped yet and all of them were shivering in the cold. Their shoes squeaked whenever they took a step trying to move through the muddy and very uneven forest floor.

"Still no luck?" Katniss asked the group loudly. She sounded breathy.

Finnick shrugged. "We're going to need a miracle if we want to find that tiny mark somewhere here. I can barely see a thing."

"I agree," Marvel joined in. "So unless that mark is as big as a cathedral, I don't think we'll find it."

Katniss huffed and magically made her disagreement known to the group through an aura that scared every human being. "We have to find it."

"Look Kat," Peeta began, "we know you're worried. We're worried too but I don't think we're doing anything productive by doing this."

"And I don't think Clove or Cato saw that mark either. They probably just walked in and went on in one direction," Annie added.

"Okay," Katniss muttered a little angry at the rest of the group's lack of positivism and sort-of ganging up on her. She placed her hands on her waist, ignoring the chill that was on her back. "So what do you suggest? We still have to find them."

Annie turned to Peeta who in turn looked at Marvel who passed the spotlight to Finnick.

"What?" Finnick asked.

"Well?" Katniss asked in return.

It had been such a great-sounding idea when they were planning about it back in the safety and warmth of their rooms but now that they're here, Finnick decided that indeed, this plan was kind of stupid. The possibility of finding Clove and Cato in the woods in this weather condition was roughly the same as winning the lottery while the chances that they themselves would get lost too was looking pretty good. What was he suppose to say? Finnick was out of ideas.

"Ummm..." he muttered trying to think of something.

The sound of thunder was suddenly loud again after silver cracks spread out the dark sky. They paused to watch it, all of them wondering if Clove and Cato were fine and what to do to help them.

"I got nothing," Katniss announced.

Nobody reacted to that because they felt exactly the same. Marvel decided to break the silence.

"How about we continue walking, you know, cover as much area as we can?" he suggested.

Katniss nodded. "I guess that's the only thing we can do right now too."

"But before we move, we have to make sure that we don't get lost too or we'll be causing more trouble," Peeta reminded the group.

...

When Clove woke up, she didn't know how long she had been sleeping. She didn't notice how the rain was still beating the small house from the outside and how the last of the embers were slowly starting to die off because the pain on her foot was really annoying.

"Ugh," Clove hissed as she tried to get up but failed.

Her upper half was halfway in a sitting position when she noticed Cato's arm still around her waist, keeping her in place. Clove looked at his face and she found herself smiling at the innocence of it. She sighed and settled back down.

Clove smiled as she placed a hand on Cato's arm. Who would have thought? Certainly not her. She brushed off some hair from Cato's face, uncertainly at first and then went on with more confidence when the other seemed to lean in to her touch.

The moment was broken though as another flash of pain shot up from her foot. She gasped a little louder than she would have wanted and Clove cursed under her breath as she forced herself to sit up.

Cato stirred. "Wha—Clove?" he said rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Hey," Clove greeted with a pained smile.

Cato sat up looking worried. "What is it?"

"Nothing, I just," Clove began while thinking of something to say.

"It's your foot, isn't it?" Cato more said than asked.

Clove smiled at him meekly and shrugged. "Yeah."

Cato sighed and shook his head seriously before rising and sitting at the foot of the bed. "I think it's a little swollen," he said while inspecting Clove's damaged foot. "You've sprained it."

Clove just shrugged her shoulders again. Cato knew she was in pain but for some reason was acting like she wasn't. If he remembered correctly, he had dashed out after around dinner and it was probably at least eight hours since. He needed to get Clove out of here.

"I'm going out for a bit," Cato announced suddenly as he stood and started gathering his clothes before putting them back on.

"Where?" Clove asked slightly alarmed.

"I'm going to find help. Stay here and wait till I come back," he answered.

"Oh no," Clove protested. "I'm coming with you."

"Don't be stupid. You can barely stand earlier and I bet that the pain is getting worse now," Cato said as he tied his shoes.

Clove looked like she was about to argue some more but she said nothing. She stared at Cato. "I understand."

Cato walked over to her and placed a quick, firm kiss on her lips. "I'll be back really soon." Clove just nodded.

He released her and walked towards the door, silently bracing himself for another round with the storm outside.

"Don't get yourself killed or anything like that," Clove told him as he was about to close the door. "That would really... suck."

Cato smiled at her confidently. "You can't get rid of me that easily," he said before he was gone. He had no idea how Clove hated herself for letting him go.

...

"You are all in so much trouble!"

Katniss glared at the flashlight being directed at her face while the others just stood beside her shivering from head to foot. "Then sue me for going out and actually doing something to find Clove and Cato."

Mr. Kirch's face was etched with dislike. He was wearing a big red raincoat and boots, same as those that the rangers with him were wearing. "Two kids and then five more went missing right after. You kids don't know how much you made the whole staff worry!"

Marvel rolled his eyes while Finnick and Annie exchanged glances. Peeta's face was unreadable.

"You are all serving detention for a week when we get back," he announced before walking towards them, motioning for the rangers to follow his lead.

Katniss didn't care that she was going to have her first ever detention nor did she care much that she'd most probably get her head shaved off by her mother. "Not until we find them."

"Look," the teacher began, "since you kids are just so stubborn and being so difficult, the rangers have agreed to look for them now. You should go back at the lodge and leave it them."

Katniss looked skeptical but then she felt a hand on her arm. She turned her head to find Peeta nodding at her slightly.

"They're spreading out," Peeta said watching the lights coming from the other flashlights floating a few meters from where they stood among the trees. "He's telling the truth," he added in a barely audible voice.

"I can't just go back and do nothing," Katniss said. "I have to look too."

"Don't be stupid Everdeen. You'll just slow down the search," the teacher told her sternly. He turned to one of the rangers. "You can take them back now."

"Please sir," Katniss said desperately. "Just let me stay. I promise I'll stay out of the way."

"I'll go with her," Peeta chimed in. "And make sure she'll stay put."

Mr. Kirch looked like he wanted to pull his hair in frustration. "Fine! Fine! But the rest has to go back!"

...

Cato breezed his way through the trees, his steps quick and making large spatters as he went. His eyes were fixed determinedly on the rough path ahead but his mind was back at the old shack where he left Clove. He tried to make his steps faster while keeping tabs on the biggest trees he saw and the turns he made so he could make his way back just as fast when he finds help.

The clothes that were almost dry were now soaked again and Cato kept himself from thinking about the warmth that the abandoned house offered. If Clove hadn't sprained her ankle, they could have stayed in there and waited till the weather clears off.

He almost tripped when his foot slipped on a particularly deeper, almost strategically placed puddle of mud. He cursed loudly but caught his balance back before anything bad happened. Cato paused for a couple of seconds before moving again. He didn't have much time to waste.

...

The rain seemed a little more angrier that it can't reach her inside the shabby little wooden house.

Clove sighed deeply, trying to calm herself down and keeping herself from over-thinking about Cato being out there. She stared at her foot grudgingly.

...

Peeta tried to keep up with Katniss and the rangers as the search continued. His fingers can't feel anything anymore but he ignored them and instead kept his eyes open for his lost friends and Katniss Everdeen who was looking more and more agitated.

"There are slide marks found on the slope near the west mark," one of the rangers called from somewhere and the others started walking to his direction.

Katniss and Peeta exchanged looks and then followed the others swiftly.

They came into a clearing where the said ranger was waiting for them. "It's up there. It must be because of some animal but it's highly unlikely."

"How about something else, perhaps a landslide?" the teacher asked.

The ranger shook his head. "We rarely get that here and even if it was, the pattern looked so much like weight swept it downhill rather than water."

She need not say more as the troupe started hiking up. Katniss tried to go as fast as she can, her insides couldn't help but feeling hopeful that something might finally point them to the right direction. Upon reaching the middle of the slope however, Katniss's legs was feeling pain. She ignored it and continued pushing herself, that was, until she slipped.

The sinking feeling of suddenly accelerating downwards filled her but it was over almost as soon as it began. She felt a hand gripping her tightly by the arm and she looked up to see Peeta.

"Easy Kat," he told her as he helped her regain her balance. "It's really slippery out here."

"Thanks," Katniss muttered. "Got a little excited I guess."

"We'll find them," Peeta assured her and she completely believed him.

When they reached the top, the ranger inspected the track that was suspected belonged to Clove and Cato. They gasped at the length of it. Katniss followed the track with her eyes from the even higher ground and down to a tree. A big and very solid-looking tree.

"Oh no," Katniss muttered suddenly feeling a little nauseous.

"It looks like someone fell down and hit the tree," the ranger said and Katniss almost cried.

"But where are they? Surely, if one of them got injured badly, they should be there right now and unable to move," Peeta cut in.

The ranger nodded in agreement. "Maybe but even if they aren't injured enough to not be able to move, they certainly wouldn't be able to get too far from here after falling from up there."

Peeta placed a hand on Katniss's shoulder reassuringly and the other nodded.

"Listen!" the ranger called. "Spread out, they could be somewhere near here."

"We're going to look too," Katniss told the ranger. "Please. I want to help. She's my cousin."

The ranger paused and regarded Katniss for a minute and then nodded. "Just don't get too far and stick to each other at all times."

Katniss nodded gratefully before dragging Peeta away. They walked, trying to cover as much area as possible while making sure they stay close to the rest of the group.

"I officially hate the rain," Katniss muttered annoyed.

"Me too," Peeta said trailing behind her.

They walked on some more for what seemed like hours but feeling like they didn't move at all. Katniss was starting to feel anxious again when a movement caught her eye. She did a double take, unable to believe her eyes but then it was really there.

"Cato!" Katniss exclaimed and broke into a run towards him.

"We found Cato!" Peeta shouted as loud as he can before dashing after Katniss.

Cato looked tired and his lips that were usually red were pale. Nevertheless, he looked happy and very relieved at seeing them.

"You freaking son ofa gun!" Peeta said grabbing Cato and engaging him in a rib-crushing hug. "You crazy little brat!"

"Nice to know you missed me," Cato managed to croak out.

"You look horrible," Katniss said and pulled out a chocolate bar from her bag before giving it to him.

"Thanks," Cato said after Peeta released him. They could hear the others rushing towards them and see their flashlights in between the trees.

"Where's Clove," Katniss asked nervously.

Cato smiled at her. "She's got a sprained ankle but she's alright. I left her somewhere dry since she can't walk. I'll lead you to her."

Katniss could feel warmth suddenly spreading in her body as she released a breath she didn't realize she was holding in. "Thank goodness."

"You really scared us, man," Peeta said seriously but also looking greatly relieved.

"And thank you for taking care of my cousin. Whatever it is your planning to pursue with her, you have my blessing," Katniss said notably happier now that she knew her cousin was safe.

Cato smiled widely. "That's good because... you're going to be seeing a lot of me from now on."

Katniss and Peeta looked at him with confused expressions and Cato paused for a few moments before deciding to end the suspense. "I'm now officially Clove's new boyfriend."

* * *

**Is it good? Bad? What? Tell me what you think! :) Reviews always give me inspirations! Cato and Clove are showing their soft sides, and I like it. Heehee. I might not be able to update as fast as I usually do because I've got school, and homework, and stuff like that. Weekends are probably the only time I can write, so yeah... I think I might update this weekly now. And I'm sorry for that. It's quite sad isn't it? :( But anyway, I hope you liked this chapter. And I would like to thank all of the people who reviews this fic. Your reviews make my day! :)**


	30. Chapter Twenty Nine

**Oh my god guys... I'm really for not updating! I've been really busy because of my architectural plates. I really am sorry. I really feel bad because I left you hanging. I saw all you reviews and practically teared myself up. Here's a filler chapter for y'all. There's nothing much going on but I hope you still like it.**

* * *

It took all of her discipline which also included a lot of reading, and Marie's mix of cooking prowess and lectures about not wandering on the hills to bring back the full use of Clove's leg. It was fairly hard to do since the doctor insisted that she use the crutches until the pain was gone which turned out to be almost a week. She still had to go to school and no one could stop her from continuing work.

"I am going to completely break your leg, Clove Van Roberts if you don't stay put on that bed!" Marie threatened her on the night of her return to Chicago after Clove told her that she will still do her shift at the music shop.

Katniss looked up from her laptop where she had been downloading files for her cousin and stared at her mother.

"I'm fine. I'll take the bus or something," Clove told her stubbornly.

Marie looked like she was about to pull her hair off in frustration. She turned to the door instead while Katniss suppressed her laughter and tried to focus on the other things on Clove's study table. She had been hanging around her cousin's room since they got back.

"Frank! Frank!" she called urgently.

The dull sound of the TV downstairs was lowered and then was suddenly gone. There were footsteps on the stairs and in a flash, her husband was beside her. "You called?"

"Would you please talk some sense into your niece's head!" she told him seriously before exiting the room, probably to blow off some steam or find something to pester her daughter with.

Frank stared at Clove tiredly before walking by her bed and sitting down. "Marie is right. There is no way you can ride your bike with a sprained ankle."

Clove knew that she lost the argument right then. Of course she knew she was being stupid and stubborn and that there's no way she can get around the place in her condition but she just wasn't used to giving up this easily. She was hoping that something, maybe a miraculous regeneration rate of her foot that she had never noticed before would come up and help her get back to her normal daily routines.

And as if the heavens were listening, something did come up. It wasn't the inhumane healing powers Clove was expecting but something more attainable, in the form of a black sports car.

The morning after, Clove and Katniss sat at breakfast while Marie loaded their plates with carbohydrates in every form when a knock on their front door was heard. Frank frowned a little at his newspaper and took a long sip of his coffee. At the second knock, he put his paper down.

"I'll get it," he told them needlessly, thinking that it was probably their neighbor or the newspaper guy.

What Frank didn't expect was to see the son of his boss on his doorstep wearing a smile so big and shiny, he felt like shielding his eyes. Since the Evans' was the richest family in Chicago, and they probably owned everything in it, they considered Evans Senior the boss. "Cato Evans?"

"Good morning Mr. Everdeen," Cato greeted confidently, his hands in the front pocket of his black hoodie.

"Good morning to you too," Frank answered uncertainly. He continued observing the boy with narrowed eyes.

"Are Clove and Katniss home?" Cato asked suddenly snapping him out of his daze.

On cue, Katniss appeared beside her father. "Who—"

"Hi Katniss," Cato greeted again.

Katniss's eyes widened. "Cato."

Cato smiled at her sheepishly. She turned to her father to find him staring back pointedly as if to say 'I didn't know you're friends with him'.

"It's a long story," Katniss told him in a low voice.

"Ummm... Can I come in?" Cato asked uncertainly shifting his gaze from Frank to Katniss and back again.

"Of course," Frank said stepping out of the way and motioned Cato to come in. "Sorry about that."

They all walked in, Katniss leading the way while Frank trailed behind them after closing the door. Katniss watched Cato like a hawk and found him looking around their living room with mild interest.

"Nice house," Cato commented.

"Thanks," Frank said. "Come on, we're just having breakfast. I hope you like pancakes."

"I love pancakes," Cato said with a smile.

When they reached the dining room, Marie was all but forcing yet another serving of breakfast at Clove. She had just placed a fresh plateful of food in front of Clove and her niece immediately took it to Katniss' plate and dumped almost half of it as soon as Marie turned her back at her. They both froze as Katniss and Frank reappeared with the new arrival. Katniss mouthed 'I saw that' to her while Cato openly laughed.

"We got company," Frank announced enthusiastically before ushering Cato to the table.

"Hello Mrs. Everdeen, Clove," Cato greeted them, making sure his gaze lingered a little more on Clove as their eyes met.

Clove looked surprised but she quickly recovered and returned Cato's smile warmly.

"What a polite boy," she commented with a smile. "New addition to the gang?"

"Mom this is Cato Evans," Katniss said hurriedly. She forgot this was the first time Marie met Cato. "He's a friend from school."

"Then he's most welcome," she said before turning to Cato again. "Take a seat dear. I'll get you a fresh plate."

"Thanks," Cato said and took the seat in front of Clove as Marie walked back to her kitchen.

"So uh, Cato, this is a pleasant surprise," Frank said.

"Well I didn't mean to catch you guys while having breakfast but I was a little worried that I won't reach you before you left for school," Cato told them.

"It's more than an hour more before we usually leave," Clove told him.

"Yeah, so what's up?" Katniss asked.

Frank pretended not to listen as he picked up his paper again. Cato didn't really mind though.

"Nothing. I just figured that, with what happened during the school trip Clove needs a ride," he explained. "I got a car and we're going to the same place anyway."

Marie suddenly reappeared with a plate loaded with pancakes, eggs, toast and lots of other things. Cato perked up as she placed it in front of him. "Eat," she ordered.

"Yes, ma'am," Cato said happily before digging in.

Marie smiled at their guest. "I have a feeling that I will like your new friend," she told Katniss and Clove. They both smiled at her before she went back to the kitchen where something was still cooking.

"That's very kind of you Cato," Frank said putting his paper down. "I'm not needed at school until later before lunch and I was going to give them a lift. They used to just ride their bikes to school since our schedules don't match."

"Don't worry about it," Cato told them after swallowing. "I don't mind at all. In fact, if you want I can come over and give Clove and Katniss a lift until Clove gets better. I can drive them home too."

Katniss nudged Clove lightly under the table while Clove was staring at her plate with great interest. She turned to her cousin and was annoyed when Katniss gave her a look that said it all. She could feel her cheeks burning.

"So what do you say?" Cato asked them.

"That'll be great," Katniss said quickly before Clove can say anything.

"Okay then," Cato said happily and continued eating. His plate was almost empty.

They finished breakfast and got their stuff ready. They said good bye to Katniss's parents who saw them off to the door.

"It was nice meeting you Cato," Marie said before turning to Clove. "I expect you to be home early. Don't you dare even think about doing your shift tonight."

Clove groaned while Cato's ears perked up again. "I can give him a ride to work and a ride home, Mrs. Everdeen," he told her.

"That's very sweet of you dear but I don't think Clove should do her shifts just yet. The place where Clove works might be far from your usual route," Marie said.

"Oh I don't mind. Plus I can help him in the shop too. I have quite a lot of free time," Cato said easily.

And just like that, Cato became Clove's personal driver and assistant. It was not as if she was complaining but Clove still felt a little uneasy. Sure, Cato cared about her and apparently was willing to do everything for her but Clove somehow felt like she was taking advantage of the other's feelings for her. She wasn't used to getting this much attention.

For the next five days, Clove arrived at school with Katniss and Cato and the student body once again buzzed at the site. Everyone was talking about Cato giving Clove rides and helping her to her classes whenever he can. Clove ignored them all, trying to focus on getting better while Cato flaunted to the whole school not so discreetly that maybe Clove and him were now official.

"It's not like I'm doing anything wrong," Cato told Clove when she asked him about it. "We're together now and maybe it's good to let everyone know now, you know, so that everything's clear and... _established_. Unless it bothers you or something..."

"No, it doesn't," Clove said quickly.

"Good, because I already told my other friends," Cato said before kissing Clove's forehead quickly. "You know Thresh and the rest of the people sitting at that table?"

"I think so," Clove said blinking, half wondering if she really knew who Thresh was and half thinking about how fast Cato could move sometimes.

So established they became. Lunches were spent together with Cato, Marvel, Peeta, Finnick, Annie, Katniss and Clove, all sitting together and chatting happily. There were still haters popping up every now and then but they were mostly on the school's forum site where they could bash Clove all they want under an anonymous name.

However, Katniss found out one night that Clove did not only earn herself haters but also some fans. She called her cousin that night to show Clove a new thread started by an anonymous person about her supposed admirers.

"Look at this guy here," Katniss told her smirking as she scrolled down the page and began reading. "I have the shittiest luck of all. I first saw Clove Van Roberts at the parking lot on the first day of school and had a crush on her ever since. I was building up the courage to ask her out when Cato named her on his request. I knew I couldn't have her now."

Clove flinched a little while Katniss shook her head gravely saying, "What a poor guy. He must have been heartbroken."

Clove rolled her eyes and stared at the computer screen. "These people are just confused. I bet they're just saying these things now because Cato and I are now together."

"Whatever, Clo," Katniss told her. "At least now we know why Cato wanted both of you to be established to the whole school," he added putting air quotes on the word 'establish'.

During shifts, Cato would stick around until Clove was done and take her home. Gale was ecstatic on the first night and he and Cato celebrated while Clove tried to hush them up while serving from behind the counter.

"Please ignore them. They had too much drinks earlier," Clove explained when a group of costumers stared at Cato and Gale weirdly while the two sang some out of tune version of an old love song.

...

Saturday finally came and Clove was only too happy to get rid of the crutches. She missed walking around without those so she woke up early and decided that she should take a jog outside. She put on a loose white shirt and shorts before slipping her running shoes on. No more pain was felt and she was glad.

It was the first time she ever took the time to jog since she moved here and Clove had to admit that the streets of the suburbs looked nice in the morning. She decided to head for the small park Katniss showed her, pocketing her phone and leaving a note for the Everdeens who were still asleep.

She walked out of the front door, closing it behind her as quietly as possible before taking in the surroundings outside as she started to jog and experimenting with the weights she can put on her foot. The morning breeze felt pleasant against her face, beating through her hair as she jogged down the neighborhood. The streets were still empty with only the newspaper boy and his bike roaming around throwing the paper to the houses' doorsteps.

Clove could see the faintest hints of gold as the sun started to rise from the horizon after some time and she decided that she should do this more often. Catching things just as they were about get started and assume their monotonous stance for the rest of the day gave a sense of contentment in some sort of way that she knew she saw the way things were at their simplest and most beautiful. Clove smiled a little at the thoughts she was forming in her head. Back to basics shouldn't be new to her since she just had a really up-close and intimate bonding with a mountain.

She hadn't even made it to the park yet when suddenly, her phone rang. Her hand searched the pocket of her shorts for the rectangular device and put it to her ear without stopping, half sure already of who it was. "Hello?"

_"Where are you?"_

Clove smiled slightly. Cato's voice sounded demanding. "I'm out. Jogging."

_"I know that already. I saw the note."_

"You're in the Everdeen's house?" Clove asked.

_"I told you I'm coming over remember?"_

"But it's what, six in the morning? The sun isn't even up yet," Clove told him as she crossed the road.

_"So? Marie opened the door for me and told me to come right in. I didn't know you're out, I didn't even know that you jog, Clo. Your leg might still not be up to it. Anyway, just tell me where you are."_

Clove paused to catch her breath. She could see Cato's face in her head looking like he was betrayed because Clove didn't inform him of her jogging plan. One thing that Clove was starting to realize about Cato was that he was extremely possessive, at least when it came to Clove. Clove hadn't made up her mind yet if that was a good or a bad thing but right then, she decided that it was endearing.

"There's a park near the house, about four blocks away," Clove muttered into the phone before starting to walk.

_"Yeah, I think I saw that already when I took a wrong turn or something. Wait for me there, okay?"_

"See you," Clove said before hanging up and pocketing her phone.

It took her a couple of minutes more before reaching the said park. It was not crowded except for a few more early joggers like herself, some having their dogs in tow. Clove checked her watch and predicted Cato will take a few more minutes so she decided to go around the park a couple of times while waiting. Clove took a deep breath and allowed herself to smile a little at the prospect of a nice morning before starting on her feet.

An old couple sat on one of the benches Clove passed by. They were smiling at each other as they talked about something that she failed to hear. At the other side of the park, a woman in tight sweat pants was listening to her iPod and she smiled slightly at her as she jogged by her. Clove nodded at her politely and then quickened her pace. She went around a few more times and glanced at her watch again. What was taking Cato so long?

Suddenly, a strong force struck Clove from behind sending her on the ground. She cursed loudly as she felt her knees hit the ground then her palms. Good thing the grass was thick.

"Shit!" Clove muttered as she stilled her vision and tried to regain her bearings. She automatically reached her ankle and tried to move it. Relief came over her as soon she did because it didn't hurt.

"Shit, I am so sorry."

Clove let herself sit on the ground before looking up at the person who bumped into her. He was a really large, maybe larger than Cato by an inch. He had shockingly long blond hair and he was smiling slightly. Clove didn't think anything was funny.

"What's so funny?" she asked before she could stop herself. Clove thought this was probably a bad idea seeing as this guy can probably beat the crap out of her without a problem but she was feeling a little reckless at the moment so she even allowed herself to glare for good measure.

"Nothing, I just uh, you don't recognize me do you?" the guy asked before extending his hand to her.

Clove frowned, feeling a tad more pissed. What did this guy thought she was, famous? She decided not to answer immediately and took her sweet time standing up ignoring the hand the other offered before brushing dirt off her shorts. "Am I suppose to?"

The guy laughed again. "Oh my, you really are as antisocial as they say."

So maybe that wasn't exactly friendly but what was Clove supposed to say? The guy bumped her and now he was making her look stupid. I'll give you antisocial, she thought grimly.

"I'm sorry," the guy said finally sensing Clove's irritation. "I'm Josh. Clove right?"

"How did you know my name?" Clove asked apprehensively.

The guy who said he was Josh might have looked a little crestfallen. "We go to the same school. New Trier?"

Now it made sense. "Oh, right," Clove said monotonously.

"How come I never saw you here before? I always jog here Saturdays," Josh said not bothering to hide his interest.

"It's my first time today," she answered simply. She wasn't really good in making small talk. Why is he talking to her anyway?

Josh nodded like everything was justified. "Of course, of course."

"And it probably will be her last too."

Clove and Josh turned to find Cato beside Clove holding two cups of coffee and looking extremely pissed. "Coffee?" he told Clove as he handed her the cup.

"Thanks," Clove said taking it.

"_Josh_, what a nice surprise," Cato said turning to the other.

"Hey Cato," Josh said though he didn't look too happy about seeing him.

"You look like you could use a coffee," Cato told him seriously. "Why don't you go get it?"

Cato's voice was laced with an unspoken threat that Clove suddenly grabbed his arm. Josh looked like he wanted to say something back but decided to bite his tongue for a moment instead before nodding and walking away.

"So Josh huh?" Cato said rounding up at Clove.

"You seriously think he was flirting or something?" Clove asked in return.

Cato huffed loudly. "Clove, I know how you can be oblivious sometimes but that guy was eating you with his eyes. Didn't you feel it?"

Clove rolled her eyes before taking a sip of her coffee. "Maybe because I wasn't paying attention."

Cato sighed and almost pouted.

"Trust me, the only thing that guy made me feel was throw a punch and then run away. He's bigger than me so maybe I also felt a little cowardly too," Clove added and Cato smiled at her.

"Come on," he told Clove and grabbed her hand before dragging her to the nearest bench.

"What took you so long?" Clove asked as they took sat down.

"Apparently, a lot of people get their coffee in the morning," Cato told her. "Had I known Josh will be here I would have brought Harry along."

Clove laughed lightly. "Yeah, because even with the two of us, there's no chance that we'll be able to take him down."

They laughed some more and then a comfortable silence took over. Cato grabbed Clove's hand and put it on his lap before angling the other's head to his shoulder so that Clove was leaning against him. Clove didn't struggle and just let Cato position her as he pleased. They stayed like that for a long time, just enjoying the air and watching the other people jog and walk.

"Let's go out tonight," Cato said suddenly.

Clove adjusted her head a little and smiled. "Where to?"

Cato started stroking her hair and drawing lazy circles on her hand. "Anywhere you like. I don't care as long as you say yes."

Not far from them was a fat lady was being taught by her husband how to throw a Frisbee. Both Clove and Cato watched her passively as she swung her arms with much enthusiasm.

"Hmmm..." Clove said thinking of places she wanted to go. There were a lot of course but as it turned out, she didn't really care either. "You choose."

"We can... go out of town?" Cato suggested.

"I got a curfew," Clove said.

"That sucks," Cato said and Clove could feel him nodding. "Why don't you just hangout at my place then? I have a lot of movies, a pool table, a swimming pool..."

"Uh-hum," Clove muttered. "Sounds like plan. We can even continue working on chemistry."

Cato groaned. "Okay, but after we have some fun. Agreed?"

"Agreed," she replied.

"What time should I come get you?" Cato asked.

"I'm not sure. I'll be at the mall this afternoon for a job that Jackie has found for me and I don't really know how long that would take," Clove answered before sitting up straight.

"What?" Cato asked frustrated. "A job. You found another freaking job."

"What's so wrong about that?" Clove asked defensively.

"I don't know, I just, don't you ever get tired? I mean, yeah, I understand you need the money and all but really, you're just a teenager. Like me, and Marvel, and everyone else at school," Cato rambled.

Clove laughed. "Hiding behind my age won't get me to college. Just imagine this as something that is analogous to Annie's DSLR, or to Peeta's love for Katniss."

Cato shook his head but was unable to hold back a smile. He knew quite a number of people but Clove has got to be the most mature person he met. No matter what the other say, Cato firmly believed that having fun is in the nature of every young person and no amount of denying will erase it even for Clove. He presumed that the other just had learned how to sacrifice these things for more important matters that will help her set up the future she wanted to have. Another thing he loved about her, he guessed.

Clove was smiling at him fondly and Cato just wanted to kiss her face off. "Be thankful we're in a public place or you are so dead."

Clove looked a little confused at that which just made Cato a little more impulsive. He kissed Clove full on the lips, not bothering to pull back as he said, "Okay but make sure you take care of yourself and... make time for me too."

Cato was a little surprised but still delighted nonetheless when Clove muttered 'whatever' against his lips in return. They pulled back grinning at each other and went back to people watching with Clove's head back on his shoulder.

...

Clove sighed loudly in front of Katniss's laptop making her cousin turn to her with a questioning look. She shrugged at her cousin as if to say 'nothing' and went back to the computer screen. She stared at the computer screen and let her eyes become hypnotized by the rhythmic blinking of the tiny vertical line on her empty document.

"I don't know what to do," Clove announced to no one in particular.

There was a loud snapping sound as Katniss closed her book with more force than was necessary. She walked over to Clove and shook her head at the site of her nonexistent homework.

"You do know that that's due on Monday, right?" Katniss asked her. "I have finished that paper two days ago, _me_. I've never been ahead of you on homework."

Clove nodded without looking away from the screen.

Katniss glared at the back of Clove's head. "If you're not going to tell me what's bothering you, at least try to pretend that you still care about school and write the damn paper already."

"Sorry. I want to tell you, Kat. I really do," Clove said giving her a serious look.

"But you just won't," Katniss cut in. "I've been asking you since yesterday."

"I told you it's... personal and a little, no, greatly embarrassing," Clove told her.

Katniss stared at her. "We've known each other since we were in diapers. I've seen every possible embarrassing thing that you could ever do so there's no reason to go all shy now."

"No, not this one," Clove said simply.

Katniss sighed deeply. "Clo, it's me. You know you can talk to me about anything."

Clove stared at Katniss, considering her with an unreadable expression. She shifted in her place and leaned in closer looking serious. Katniss copied her movements, glad that her cousin had finally decided to tell her whatever it was.

Katniss had been really curious about it since Clove usually wasn't embarrassed about anything. Well, not really anything, Katniss thought. It's just that her cousin never did anything that would embarrass herself and having this one thing right now just made this all the more serious.

"Promise you'll give this your best understanding," Clove said.

Katniss nodded seriously, her curiosity and concern increasing. "Okay."

"And don't you dare laugh," Clove added and she nodded again.

"Okay. You see this thing with Cato," Clove began and Katniss just knew this was about Cato. Why didn't she see that coming? She didn't interrupt though, just nodded encouragingly.

"I really want it to go well. Cato is really special to me and I want to make him happy," Clove continued, her eyes involuntarily averting towards the floor. Katniss could see her cheeks starting to blush.

"Even with Johnny we never gone farther than kissing and, and, I know Cato is expecting something," Clove went on in top speed. "I just, I don't, I have no fucking idea."

Katniss allowed some minutes of silence to take over after that with her just watching Clove destroy the hem of her shirt. What was she suppose to say to that?

Clove chanced a glance at her looking too embarrassed yet very confused. Katniss thought her cousin should lay off the poor shirt.

"Oh, uh, I see," Katniss said lamely now wishing that she didn't talk Clove into telling her.

"I told you," Clove said managing a shy smile.

Katniss laughed nodding slightly. "I guess we didn't cover sex problems when we were little."

"No, we didn't," Clove told her.

Bringing that up told them just how much things had changed since they met Cato and his friends. Clove glanced at her cousin and was relieved that she wasn't laughing and instead looking like she was in deep thinking.

"I don't know Clo," Katniss suddenly said. "I think Cato knows well about... things. I guess he'll guide you or something if... it, comes."

"That's what I thought," Clove said with a shrug, almost bored.

"Did you talk about it?" Katniss asked hesitantly.

Clove's cheeks were tinted again. "No. I think he's more touchy about it than I am," he said.

"Right, right," Katniss said nodding to herself. "He's waiting for you then."

"I know!" Clove almost exclaimed in frustration and Katniss visibly jumped. "I appreciate that he's being considerate but, I don't think I can... I want to but... I, like..."

Katniss stared at her cousin sympathetically. Clove looked painfully torn Katniss almost hated Cato for doing this to her. She was about to say something comforting to her when Clove suddenly rose looking alarmed.

"What is it?" Katniss asked.

"I almost forgot. I got a job at the mall today," Clove announced before dashing for the door.

Some things never change, Katniss thought.

...

Marvel threw his shirt into the air and shouted 'fucker' loudly before running and jumping in the water head first. Peeta laughed loudly and proceeded to applauding him as Marvel's head resurfaced. He bowed to them gracefully, blowing kisses in all directions to the non-existent crowd.

"Thank you, thank you," Marvel muttered.

Cato opened the door and entered the pool area of his house laughing a little. "That was you?"

"Whatever it was, yes it was me," Marvel said.

Cato took a seat on the bar. "I didn't even know that you guys are here. How come you can enter my place without me knowing?"

Peeta shrugged. "Since we know each other most of our lives and your security guy trusts us enough to not kill you behind his back?"

"Right," Cato said.

"Since when did it bother you that we're here? You love having us here," Marvel said taking a seat beside Cato and soaking the chair in the process.

"Uhuh," Cato said eying his furniture but decided not to comment on it. "Anyway, you two are going to have to clear off tonight."

Peeta raised an eyebrow while Marvel smirked.

"You got company?" Marvel asked.

"As a matter of fact. Clove will be coming over," Cato answered proudly.

"That explains the bitchiness to your friends," Marvel said nodding.

Peeta laughed. "You got that right. But seriously Cato, you might not have noticed it but these past few days, you seem a little... off."

"Off?" Cato repeated questioningly. "What's 'off'?"

"I don't know... like someone who's got a period," Peeta explained and Cato raised an eyebrow. "When you're happy, you're really happy and then all it takes is one teeny tiny thing to set you off in the wrong way."

"Come to think of it, yeah, I think so too," Marvel said.

"Is there something you want to tell us?" Peeta asked seriously.

"Maybe about Clove?" Marvel added.

"What? No! Clove and I... everything's going really well between us," Cato said.

Peeta nodded while Marvel looked like he was fighting the urge to laugh.

"What?" Cato asked dangerously.

"There he goes again," Marvel muttered in a singsong tone while Peeta blurted out his laughter.

Cato rolled his eyes and glared at them before crossing his arms in front of him, all but keeping himself from throwing both of them into the pool. Peeta struggled to shut himself up and keep his face straight. After a few minutes, he finally managed to do so.

"Done?" Cato asked pointedly.

"Sorry," Peeta said and nodded.

"Go on, ask him," Marvel managed to say in between his laughter. Cato glared at him.

"Ask me what?" he demanded.

Peeta cleared his throat before regaining his composure. "Well, me and Marvel have been talking—and"

"No shit," Cato cut in and Peeta pretended not to hear.

"We've been talking about you, about how you seem kind of tense these days and we were just, uh, wondering or uh, thinking, that maybe..." Peeta trailed off.

"You're killing him man," Marvel told him still sniggering slightly.

"Oh screw you, Davis," Cato said irritated. He breathed deeply before turning back to them. "Are you both just going to sit there and irritate the hell out of me or will you spill?"

Marvel and Peeta exchanged glances before Marvel decided Peeta was apparently too kind to say whatever it was.

"Let me put it this way," he began seriously. "We are guessing that you and Van Roberts are, uh, taking it slow?"

"So what if we are?" Cato asked still annoyed. "Is that bad?"

"You're missing the point," Marvel said shaking his head. "You and Clove are _taking it slow_..."

"And you seem happy but also really cranky at times..." Peeta joined in.

Cato stared at his two friends who were both craning their necks towards him expecting him to realize... something. What the hell was it? So he wanted to take things slow with Clove because he didn't want to mess up, was that bad? So he maybe he was a little cranky, and possibly a little frustrated that Clove was now his girlfriend and yet... Oh.

Peeta and Marvel seemed to have read the dawning comprehension on his face because they were both giggling for god's sakes.

"You two think that I'm cranky because I'm not getting any?" Cato asked bluntly and both of them laughed openly.

"Holy crap," Peeta interjected clutching wiping tears from his eyes.

"I knew it! I knew it!" Marvel said clutching his sides.

"You two are unbelievable," Cato told them. "Sometimes I really wonder why I'm friends with you two. Is there even a point why you oh so thoughtfully pointed out that I'm sexually deprived?"

"Well, yeah. Of course," Peeta said calming himself down.

"Yeah, yeah. Aside from the fact that it is totally hilarious for someone like you to be in this kind of situation, there's a perfectly good reason for pointing that out," Marvel added.

"Which is?" he asked.

Marvel shrugged. "I don't know. But I'm sure Peeta has something," he told Cato before turning to Peeta. "Don't you Peeta?"

Peeta rolled his eyes. "We weren't going to bring it up until you told us earlier that Clove is coming over tonight."

"Oh this is going to be good," Marvel muttered as he scooted closer. Peeta ignored him.

"I'm just worried. Clove is... she's different aside from the fact that maybe she's still got some issues," Peeta explained.

"Peeta, I wouldn't be sexually frustrated if I'm forcing Clove to anything she doesn't want," Cato said.

"I know," Peeta said nodding. "And I'm really proud of you because knowing you, it must have been difficult."

"You have no idea," Cato muttered and Marvel cracked up again.

"I'm just saying that you have to careful, you know, not only for Clove but also for yourself. I'm betting Clove doesn't even realize what she's doing to you so just... just be patient," Peeta finished.

"Spoken like true a man of experience," Marvel said nodding gravely and Peeta punched his arm.

Cato smiled at them. "Thanks but you don't have to worry about us. I get what you're saying but really, we'll be fine. We'll figure it out."

...

Cato hated driving to the mall so he avoided the place as much as possible and only going there when he absolutely needed to. But earlier, he received a text from Clove saying that he might be home a little later than expected and Cato was sure that it was a totally legit reason to be there. So he set off immediately and was now parking his car before he got out of his vehicle. He frowned a little upon seeing the tasteless throng and ignored them, trying to remember where Big Chick's was as he walked towards the entrance.

It wasn't the crowdedness per se, Cato thought as he walked deeper into the building. He loved the crowd, and the noise, and maybe it was a little packed but maybe he liked that a little too.

He saw an ice cream booth, and there he saw her. She was wearing a really big smile, as she serve another customer. Cato couldn't help but smile. She was perfect in every single way, and she doesn't even know it.

He walked towards her, and he could see her smiling at him, so he smiled back. He waited for her for two more hours, and after that, they took a drive to Cato's mansion.

...

Cato's house looked deserted but Clove knew that the maids were somewhere in the house probably hiding or something.

"So what do you want to do? We can watch a movie or I can teach you how to play pool," Cato said as they entered the front door.

"I don't know. What movies do you have?" Clove asked.

"There's a list at my home theater," Cato said. "And I got popcorn in the kitchen."

"Okay," Clove said and let Cato drag her to wherever.

"Let's get the popcorn first," Cato told her and Clove nodded.

They reached the kitchen. Cato started to rummage through her cupboards while Clove admired the chess-like squares of the floor.

"Need help?" she asked him.

"No I just," Cato muttered as he took down jars of peanut butter and packs of crisps. "I know they keep it here... somewhere... here!"

He shook the box of microwavable popcorn triumphantly at Clove before tearing the side open and extracting a packet. Clove watched as Cato read the back of the pack for the instructions, slightly frowning.

"You've never made your own popcorn before, have you?" Clove asked.

"No, I did it once," Cato said briefly glancing up at her. "But that was years ago."

Clove laughed and decided to lend Cato a hand. She walked towards him and grabbed the small bag from him. She walked towards the microwave, placed the bag in and punched a few numbers. The machine immediately came into life.

"I was going to do exactly that," Cato said.

Clove rolled her eyes. "It's really easy but you might want to consider other ways to get your popcorn. Some people have raised health concerns against that one," she said pointing at the machine.

"You know," Cato began as he walked towards Clove. "You look hotter when you're being nerdy."

Clove blushed. She could feel her heart racing as Cato got closer and closer. She averted her eyes and stared at the floor. Clove knew times like this were coming but she still lose it whenever she and Cato did anything even though they're now together.

Before she knew what was happening, Cato was against her and was slowly pushing her back against the kitchen counter. She looked up nervously to find Cato's eyes looking at her in a very unnerving way. She felt her back hit mildly the corner of the counter and oh look, she was trapped.

"C-Cato, I," Clove rambled incoherently not knowing what else to do.

"Sshhh..." Cato hushed her up putting a finger against Clove's lips. "Don't be afraid."

Clove's hands were trembling as she gripped the side of the counter tighter. She swallowed and nodded a little, not really knowing what she was agreeing to but it was Cato and Clove found him really persuasive. Cato smiled at her before removing the finger on her lips just to put it at the side of Clove's face. Clove blinked feeling an arm snaking around her waist and Cato was moving, closer and closer until she could feel his breath against her cheek.

Clove tried to push away the butterflies in her stomach and concentrate on Cato's lips on her, soft and warm. Her breath hitched as she felt the familiar tongue sliding at her lower lip and she complied, parting her lips slightly. It slid in her mouth, wet and smooth, and Clove just let Cato take over.

Cato used his hold on the side of Clove's face to pull the other closer. He groaned when he felt Clove slightly leaning back so he placed his hand instead on the back of Clove's neck to keep her close, earning him a small whimper from the other which he might just find a little exciting.

Something about taking over Clove's innocence and her reluctance was extremely satisfying so he made the movements of his tongue more aggressive, more dominating. He lightly bit the lower lip before sucking on it and Cato decided he can't have enough. He was feeling more and more aroused and maybe he was losing his mind. He promised to himself that he'll never force anything on Clove but right now, Clove was letting him. He pulled back briefly to catch his breath and take in Clove's dazed expression and swollen red lips. Cato smirked before leaning in once more, and claiming Clove's lips again without waiting for the other's response.

The microwave sounded loudly to signal that their popcorn was ready but Cato wasn't really into popcorn right now so he ignored it. Clove seemed to have got the hint and just let Cato do as he pleased which incidentally, she had no problem at all.

They kissed for what felt like hours and it was Clove who pulled back this time because she seriously needed oxygen, feeling her bottom lip slide between Cato's teeth as she pulled away.

"Are you okay with that?" Cato asked her breathily, still not moving back.

Clove bit her bottom lip and nodded. "Yeah, I guess."

Cato smiled, eyes still hazy. "I don't want to push my luck but I kind of wanted to make out with you more for a while now and it would really suck if you say no."

Clove laughed softly. "I, uh, I'm not really good with these things."

Cato shook his head and stroked Clove's cheek. "It doesn't matter. All I care about is it's you."

Clove stared at him with an unreadable expression and for a moment Cato was convinced that the other was going to bring out a knife from somewhere and stab out his heart. "Or we can go watch a movie if you want. I'll just—uh"

"Okay," Clove said.

"Okay let's watch a movie or okay let's go make out in my room?" Cato asked sounding a little hopeful.

Clove bit her lower lip again and Cato was sure she was doing that on purpose just to spite him and see him suffer. Cato held his breath waiting.

"How about you choose," Clove said and Cato couldn't tell if the other was teasing or scared.

But she did say he could choose right? Cato thought that was a no brainer and it took a fraction of a second before he was grabbing Clove by the arm and dragging her upstairs.

* * *

**So... Do you like it? It's not really good because I kinda rushed to the ending of the ending. I just wanted to give you something, to let you know that I'm still here. I will never abandon this fic. Not ever. I really appreciate those people who stayed with me. I'm really happy because I have such wonderful readers. I really have no idea when I will update this again because I'm still stuck with architectural plates (It's never-ending, I'm telling you.) I WILL NEVER ABANDON THIS STORY. NEVER. Thank you for reading! And reviews are highly appreciated. :)**


	31. Chapter Thirty

"This is so boring." Finnick muttered under his breath as he looks around the dark room where he and Annie have spent 4 straight hours without practically doing anything. He could've been playing his video games right now but he couldn't resist Annie.

Yeah, he was head over heels in love with Annie and he couldn't even tell her. He was that afraid of what her respond might be. He has a really soft spot for this kind of things, he's not used to tell people how he really feels, and sometimes when he's with Annie, it's just not helping. It's frustrating the hell out of him but it was okay as long as he's with Annie.

"Shut up, Finn. I'm almost done," Annie said as she inspected her undeveloped photos. She took a glance over Finnick who looking rather skeptical about the whole dark room situation. She knew that he never liked this room, and it was kind of surprising that he agreed to come.

"Please end this soon, I'm suffocating!" Finnick blurted out and Annie just laughed at him.

Yeah, she liked it when he's annoyed.

…

They barely made it to Cato's bedroom before he was kissing Clove again, pinning her against the wall of the hallway. Cato let the strong urge take over him as he roughly attacked those innocent lips while feeling Clove squirm against him. He didn't bother keeping the noise down. The maids knew enough of his night activities not to even dare go this floor.

Cato broke the kiss and hurriedly dragged Clove into his room. He closed the door behind them, making sure he locked it. When he turned his gaze to the room, he found Clove staring at the floor looking a little disheveled and very nervous.

"Hey," he said as he walked towards her.

Clove swallowed and forced herself to meet Cato's eyes. "Nice carpet."

Cato laughed and fought the strong urge to ask the other if she preferred the carpet over the bed. "Thanks. I handpicked it myself."

"Oh," Clove said nodding interestedly. She pretended to inspect the black and white patterns of the said carpet in an attempt to calm herself as Cato walked towards her.

She felt hands on either side of her face. Cato was staring at her seriously. "Are you afraid of me?"

Clove looked straight to his eyes. "No."

The other nodded and Clove felt a hand rubbing her nape soothingly. The next thing she knew, she was being led to the bed. It was surreal. Clove felt like she was dreaming as Cato sat on it and pulled her onto his lap. She followed without question, feeling her heart thrash violently in her chest.

"Do you trust me?" came Cato's voice, low and somehow different.

She was straddling Cato's lap, her legs on either side while Cato's arm encircled her waist. Clove closed her eyes, feeling a hand rub down her back making the hair on her nape stand.

"I do," Clove found herself saying.

Cato nodded and moved closer until their foreheads were touching. "I'm yours. I'm here for you. Don't be afraid," he whispered into Clove's ears.

Clove blinked. She moved back biting her bottom lip and watching the color of Cato's eyes on her. With a stroke of boldness, Clove tilted her head to the side and leaned in, wrapping her arms around Cato's neck. She tried to mimic Cato's earlier actions, moving her lips against Cato's before tentatively sliding out her tongue and sliding it against Cato's lower lip.

She was a bit surprised when Cato parted his lips for her. Clove hesitated, the soft sounds their lips were making seeming deafening all of sudden and then she felt Cato's tongue against hers. She sighed into the kiss and tried to regain her motion while Cato pulled her closer.

Clove shifted a little on Cato's lap as the other pulled at her shirt. She was briefly distracted by a forming bump in the other's pants but she pretended not to notice. They kissed some more before Clove pulled away, leaving a thin trail of saliva.

Cato was smiling at her and he couldn't help but return it. "I'm yours too," she muttered almost inaudibly.

"Good," Cato said. He gave Clove a serious look before suddenly maneuvering her into a lying position with Cato on top and smirking down at her. Cato cast a glance down at her lips before returning to meet her eyes.

"Go ahead," Clove whispered and they were kissing again. Cato had his hands on the mattress for support at either side of Clove's head. He managed to take his hoodie off without breaking the kiss. He was pulling Clove up to take off her hoodie too when a knock was heard.

Cato pointedly ignored it as he slid off Clove's hoodie from her thin arms and tossed it somewhere in his room. Clove however seemed a little concern. She lightly pushed Cato off and Cato groaned as they broke the kiss. He gave Clove a pleading look before quickly cupping her chin and gluing their lips together again. Clove struggled in the beginning but let Cato did as he pleased after a while.

"Cato," Harry called from behind the door.

It took all of his control to pull away, cursing loudly as he did. Clove was looking amused and really, with that disheveled hair and devious innocence, Cloves swore he was just making this harder for Cato.

"I'll be back," Cato told her in a low voice. "What?" he shouted at the door, not bothering to get up.

"I know you're kinda busy right now but it's urgent," Harry said.

Cato cursed again before getting up and walking to the door. He opened it to reveal Harry who was wearing a serious frown. Clove got off the bed and straightened her clothes.

"What is it?" Cato asked, his voice still having a hint of annoyance.

Harry leaned a little as if afraid somebody will hear him. "Your dad called."

Even from a distance, Clove saw that Cato's color went a couple of shades paler. She only saw this kind of reaction from him once and that was when they were at Mt. Charleston when he saw Clove and Johnny. She couldn't hear what Harry was saying but whatever it was, it can't be good.

Cato glanced back at her nervously and back again at Harry. "What did he say?"

Harry almost looked apologetic for being the one to break it to him. "He's coming. Tomorrow."

…

"Can you please explain why the hell you're packing?" Clove asked as she watched Cato throw shirt after shirt into his open gym bag. Cato paused before deciding to ignore her and resume packing things. He opened another dresser and this time, got a stack of pants and dumped them messily in the bag.

Clove was standing by his bed where the open bag lay waiting for Cato's other stuff. She knew it wasn't good news that Harry told him but what could possibly make Cato suddenly pack his things and leave? Clove wanted to know. She walked over to Cato and grabbed both of his arms.

"Talk to me Cato," she said pleadingly.

Cato stared at her with big eyes before suddenly engaging Clove in a tight hug. "I'm going away. You have to come with me."

"What?" Clove interjected. "Whoa, wait a minute."

The arms surrounding her held her tighter. Cato had his lips by Clove's ear.

"Please," Cato whispered.

At that moment, Clove realized that she knew so little about Cato. She didn't know what his family was like other than Cato came from a wealthy family. She didn't know what how Cato's relationship was like with his parents and anything about his past. She almost knew nothing.

Clove returned Cato's hug. "Why do you want to leave? Talk to me, Cato."

For several minutes, Cato just stayed like that, holding Clove tightly with both arms as though afraid she'll slip away. He seemed to be contemplating whether to tell Clove something or not before finally letting go. All the while, Clove kept silent patiently waiting. Cato looked at her with big eyes and pulled her lightly to sit on the bed.

"For now," Cato began. "Can you just trust me? Can you just take my word for it?"

It broke Clove's heart to see the other look so unsure and scared. She wanted to trust Cato and say 'yes', she really did but also, Clove felt like she had the right to know why Cato was acting this way. He was asking her to run away with him.

"Cato—I" Clove began but her words were cut off by Cato's lips on hers.

When they broke the kiss, Cato looked a little better albeit still anxious. "Please Clo. I need you."

Whatever it was that was stopping Clove from just trusting Cato was suddenly gone with those words. "Where to?" she found herself asking.

For the first time since Harry told him the news, Cato's face broke into a smile and Clove just knew she did the right thing. "I don't know. I'm planning to hop on the next available flight."

"You call that a plan?" Clove asked him. Cato must have sensed Clove's anxiety.

"I just need to get away for a while. I'll fix everything so we can leave tonight and we'll be back by Monday," Cato told her confidently.

Clove still felt a bit apprehensive. She had never done anything in her life that she hadn't thought thoroughly for at least a week. But since she met Cato, Clove found herself taking chances with things, suddenly jumping into decisions just because. This went against everything Clove knew but as it seemed, Cato just had that power over her, to make her believe anything and do the stupidest things.

"This is insane," Clove told him.

Cato smiled. "Not really. You're just not used to traveling."

"You're asking me to run away with you—"

"Just for the weekend," Cato cut off.

"For the weekend in a very short notice, to who knows where," Clove said. "I think this is every bit insane."

Cato frowned at her. "So you're not coming with me?"

Clove glared at him before grudgingly saying, "Of course I'm coming. What kind of stupid question is that?"

…

Annie looked at Finnick who is currently sleeping on her bed. They agreed that after the whole dark room thing, they will do a movie marathon. But to Finnick's surprise, they did a chick-flick movie marathon. Annie knew that Finnick hated chick-flicks and it gave her the power over Finnick and she loved it.

She found herself staring at Finnick's close eyes. His eyes were beautiful, and it was her favorite part of him. She could read Finnick's mind just by looking at his eyes. She was scared to confront her own feelings but now she was sure. Even before, she had already fallen in love with Finnick. She was trying to give him hints but he just wouldn't get it she guessed. Maybe he was already in love with someone else, she thought. It was a shame because they could really be good for each other. She really liked him and it was taking over her system that she couldn't find the guts to tell him how she really feels for him.

She sighed as she got up from her seat, and went towards her desk where her camera was. She took it and went back to where Finnick was. She looked for angles and angles, and found the right spot so she took it. _Snap_, another picture of Finnick. Another picture to add to her collection.

…

When Clove and Cato reached the Everdeens' house, Katniss was in the kitchen with an apron on, standing in front of the stove with one hand on her waist while the other stirred the pot of... something. She took a ladleful and blew at it tentatively before she tasted it. Katniss frowned.

"Not good?" Clove asked as she and Cato entered the kitchen.

Katniss jumped a little but smiled when she saw them. "Good but too hot. How come I didn't hear you guys come in?"

"Because we're ninjas," Cato answered quickly.

Katniss gave Clove a questioning look and Clove returned it with a shrug and a look that only Katniss could ever understand so of course she did and smiled.

"Will you guys stop it with the creepy telepathy thing?" Cato said and turned to Clove. "We should make a secret language too like... a handshake or..."

"You may be the boyfriend but I'm the best friend," Katniss told Cato as she turned the dial on the stove to kill the fire. She fetched a spoonful of her soup and blew on it.

"Yeah, and I also happen to be Jon's best friend," Cato countered. Katniss just smirked smugly at him before ladling some soup on a bowl.

"Really mature guys," Clove said and turned to Katniss. "Where are Marie and Frank?"

Katniss sighed. "Mom's feeling a bit off. I think she's going to have a fever or something so I told her to rest. Dad's out getting medicine and possibly dinner. God knows only mom can cook in this house."

"Oh," Clove said. Her gaze met Cato's and she bit her lower lip.

She couldn't do it. Clove won't be able to tell Marie that she's going, not when she's sick and she needed her. She looked at Cato who was now inspecting the kitchen counter and Clove knew she was in trouble.

"I'm going to take this up to her," Katniss announced before walking out of the kitchen with the steaming bowl. She looked unaffected but they could see the hands holding the tray shake.

Clove nodded. Silence fell in the room and she was afraid to break it. Instead, she looked at Cato who refused to meet her eyes. Cato seemed to have read her mind.

"Cato," Clove began as she walked towards the other.

"I know what you're going to say," Cato cut her off. No emotion could be detected in his voice.

Clove slightly flinched. "I'm sorry," she said because she didn't what else to tell him.

She could see Cato's jaw clench before he nodded, determinedly staring at the wooden counter. Clove was afraid to go close to him but she walked closer anyway, making her steps slow as if waiting for Cato to stop her. When she reached the counter, Clove just stood behind Cato, barely a foot from him. She took the very small chair beside the kitchen counter so that she can stand next to Cato without feeling so small. She was kind of afraid that he will burst out and tell her nasty things but she knew she won't mind. She deserves it nonetheless. So Clove let her head fall forward so that her forehead was touching Cato's back. Cato stiffened a little but did not tell her to go away so she raised her arms and slowly wrapped the around Cato's torso. Clove's right hand found its way to Cato's chest and it stayed there, feeling each faint beat of the organ beneath it. Cato sighed and Clove kissed the back of his neck before settling on the crook.

She just held Cato like that for a few minutes, not caring much that they were in the Everdeens' house and that Frank could be walking in on them any moment. Eventually, Clove felt a hand on hers. Cato lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it.

Clove was thinking of something to say to make Cato understand how difficult it was for her to do this but Cato beat her to it.

"I understand," he told Clove softly. Cato pulled at her and Clove stepped in front to face him. She was trapped between Cato and the kitchen counter and she couldn't help but smile.

"I don't think so," Clove said.

"Of course I don't," Cato conceded. "And I really, really hate you right now."

Clove knew that Cato really did hate her right now. She felt bad too and very guilty for being unable to give what Cato needed at a time that the other really needed her. They were just beginning and maybe they didn't really know each other much but Clove knew enough that Cato trusted her to be by his side when he told her earlier that he's running away from his father. Clove placed her arms around Cato's neck and hugged him.

"I have an idea," Clove said.

"What?"

"You need to run from your dad, right?"

"Anywhere in Chicago is my old man's backyard."

"How well does the old man know his backyard?"

"Pretty well," Cato said and paused. "Specially Jon and Gabe's house."

"Uhum," Clove said and released Cato. "But he doesn't know much about this place, does he?"

Cato stared at her, eyes widening slowly. "Here?"

"A sleepover," Clove told him. "I'm sure Marie and Frank will be delighted."

Cato frowned as he considered those words. There's a reason why he wanted to be out of the country when his old man was here and he'll tell Clove, eventually. Hiding in the Everdeens' house seemed perfect because the old man will never dream of looking for him here. But Cato could put Frank's job in jeopardy by doing this if he found out.

"I can't," he told Clove.

"Why?"

"Just... Katniss's dad might get in trouble."

"But you need a place," Clove said. "For two days and a night?"

"Yes. I can probably just hide somewhere while the sun is out and sleep in a hotel."

"You can crash in my room," Clove told him. "Frank and Marie won't have to find out."

Cato could practically hear the guilt in Clove's perfectly monotonous voice at suggesting it. He couldn't do it.

"Thanks but I think I can handle a couple of days alone," Cato said biting back 'I'm used to being alone anyway.'

Clove just nodded.

…

She couldn't sleep. The room was already dark and the only thing she could see from her position on the bed was the yellow-green numbers on her digital clock on the bedside table. Not that they're spectacularly bright or anything but she could also see the lines on her white wall with it. The house was quiet and she was sure the Everdeens were all deep asleep by now. It was two in the morning after all as the yellow blinking numbers say.

Clove shifted from her position to face the other side of her room. The curtains were drawn together but it was parted slightly in the middle, letting a faint ray of light from the outside stream in. It was probably from a light post outside or the moon if it's full tonight. She wondered if she should get up and check.

She sighed. No matter how hard she had her eyes shut or how many sheep she counted, Clove just won't fall asleep. Her mind kept wandering off to why Cato was in such need to run away from his dad that he would even leave the country to do so. It couldn't be that bad, could it? Cato seemed to be a loving a person, at least to the people he cared about and Clove thought Cato would care for his dad. The guy provided him with all life's luxury after all. But then again, she really didn't know anything about Cato's family life. Maybe it's the cliché rich kid story. He's just another spoiled brat who had everything he could ever want except for a decent relationship with his dad.

He had read Clove's file so unlike her Cato knew almost everything about her past. It was a little unfair yet Clove knew it was also her fault. She should have asked. But will Cato tell her if she did? Clove tried asking why the other wanted to run away. She didn't really get any answers. Was it a trust issue?

And then there was Marie. After Cato said goodbye, Clove went upstairs to see her aunt. She was pale and hardly had any appetite but Katniss was a very persuasive nurse and made her mother finish the bowl of soup she cooked. They laughed and she said she got that from her. After she took the medicine, she went to sleep with Frank saying that he'll bring her to the hospital if her fever didn't go down by morning. Clove wasn't worried much though. She seemed a little better after the soup but they all kept her in the room anyway.

Suddenly, Clove heard a noise. She jerked up in her bed, pushing the covers off and looked around the room, trying to ignore the sudden temperature drop on her legs. She paused listening for it but there was nothing.

"I need to sleep," she muttered to herself, thinking that the hours were making her hear things.

But there it was again and Clove was able to register it this time, a faint and quick tapping noise. She straightened her thin shirt and shorts nervously before getting up. She was contemplating whether to turn on a light or not when she heard it again. It was coming from the window. Cautiously, Clove parted her curtains but saw nothing in particular that could cause the noise. The lampposts were lighted, the streets were empty, and the rest of the outside world was dark.

A movement from below caught her eye. It was in the front garden, Marie's bushes were shaking and Clove knew there was something in there. Someone.

She didn't need to think twice before she was opening her window and leaning out of it. "Cato?" she shouted in the softest whisper she can.

Cato was smiling up at her, both hands in the front pockets of his hoodie. "Your lawn needs to be mowed."

Clove laughed. "What are you doing here?"

She could see Cato's form shrugging. "I'm inspecting your lawn. You also have weeds growing by the yellow things."

Two AM and Cato was on their front yard talking about weeds and mowing.

"I'll be right down," Clove announced.

She closed the window, sighing before she ran her fingers through her hair. The hallways were dark and quiet when Clove opened her door. She tiptoed her way downstairs, careful as she passed by Frank and Marie's bedroom door. She didn't bother with the lights and she managed to make it to the front door without knocking things off.

"This would have been so romantic if there was a big tree by your window. I'll be able to climb up and enter your room like a real hero," Cato said when Clove opened the door. She rolled her eyes at him but stood aside to let him in.

"You're supposed to be in a hotel room, miles away from Chicago," Clove said as she led him upstairs.

"Well nice to see you too," Cato whispered.

They managed to make it to Clove's room without making much noise and Clove closed the door behind them. Cato walked around the small dark bedroom carefully, taking everything in. A study desk loaded with neatly piled books, a half opened closet, wrinkled bed, blue curtains. He found himself smiling.

"This will do," Cato announced and sat on the bed, bouncing a little as if testing it.

Clove huffed. "That's good to know."

Cato took off his shoes and tossed them somewhere in the room before lying down. Clove's ceiling was unfamiliar and her bed was small, but the room smelled like her so he couldn't really complain. "Can I crash here tonight?"

"What? Do you think I let you up here just so you can test my bed?" Clove asked and sat beside Cato.

"I don't know. You're the most unpredictable person I know," Cato told her still staring up the ceiling. "And you're supposed to be my girlfriend."

Clove smirked. "Right, like you're the one to talk. I'm not the one who was going out of town on a whim. I don't know what's happening to you because you won't tell me and you're supposed to be my boyfriend."

Cato didn't respond to that so Clove waited, just staring off in the darkness until she felt a forceful pull at the back of her shirt. The next thing she knew, she was lying flat on her back and Cato was on top of her, leaning down to kiss her. Only he didn't really kiss her. He was just lightly biting at Clove's lower lip almost lazily while he pinned down Clove's wrist on the bed. They stayed like that for a long time before everything progressed to real kissing.

Cato had his tongue in her mouth but Clove came to her senses. She freed her wrists and pushed him off lightly and Cato reluctantly pulled away. Even in the dark, she could see him pout and glare at her.

"It was just getting good," Cato complained before pushing her down again but Clove resisted.

"No. You're just trying to get out of talking to me," she told Cato as she got up into a sitting position. "We need to talk."

"Didn't anybody tell you that nothing good ever comes after the words 'we need to talk'?" Cato asked.

Clove rolled her eyes at him even though she probably won't see it anyway. "Nice try."

Cato went for her neck this time and Clove wasn't expecting it. Her breath hitched as she felt Cato sucking hard on the skin. A hand had also found its way under her thin shirt, doing who knows what but it sure felt good. She bit her lower lip to keep herself from making any sounds. Marie and Frank will have the shock of their lives if they saw her like this.

"We need to talk," Clove managed to choke out.

"We'll talk later," Cato said before licking the area he just sucked. This will surely leave a mark, he thought smugly. He chanced a glance at Clove's face and something in his stomach twisted. He loved it when Clove's face looked flushed and oh so embarrassed. Definitely a virgin.

It took all of Clove's will power to get up and firmly push Cato away. Cato looked really annoyed as he stared back at Clove.

"We'll talk now," Clove said seriously. "You can't keep me in the dark forever. Something's obviously bothering you and I'm worried. I have to know, unless you feel like you need more time or..."

"I trust you," Cato said firmly. "It's just that..."

Clove waited patiently, watching Cato struggle for the right words.

"It's complicated," Cato began. "And I really want to make out with you right now."

Clove laughed lightly. "Katniss' parents are right across the hall."

"Okay," Cato said. "I'll tell you everything but please, please can we do something after?"

Clove didn't know if Cato was still uncomfortable at talking about his family or he was just plain horny. She really wanted to know whatever it was the other was thinking about but the prospect of doing something was eating up her nerves. Truthfully, Clove was kind of avoiding it.

"Well?" Cato asked impatiently. Clove just stared at him uncertainly, weighing the pros and cons of the situation.

"Do you promise to tell me everything?"

Cato nodded.

"Depends on the... something," Clove said nervously.

"Nothing you won't agree to," Cato assured her biting back a smile.

"Okay then," Clove told him.

Cato smiled and Clove was so sure she could detect a hint of sadness in it. Cato took his time in thinking of the next thing to say, almost hesitating. He sighed deeply before he started again.

"The first thing you have to know is that my father is a _monster._"

* * *

**I'm sorry if I disappoint all of you. I'm trying to update but school's always in the way. I don't know if you can understand my situation but it really puts me down whenever I see reviews about how annoyed they are that I only update once/twice a month or so. I'm really sorry for being busy. I'm having a hard time at school because all these arch. plates are always in the way. I'm really really really sorry. That's all.**


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